Banganarti (in Nubian, Island of the Locust) is a small village on the right bank of the Nile, half-way between the Third and Fourth Nile cataracts. Seven and a half kilometer downriver, on the same bank, is situated Tungul/Old Dongola, once the capital of the Kingdom of Makuria. The excavations at Banganarti began in 2001 with the discovery of a huge church which stand on the ruin of its predecessor, the lower church. The analysis of stratigraphy and chronology of subsequent reconstructions, supported by studies of pottery indicate the mid-eleventh century as the most probable date of the destruction of the lower church and the erection on its ruin of a new sacral building. The circumstances of the consecration of the upper church at Banganarti are described in the History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria. The originality of its layout was emphasized by its perfect symmetry, the portico running along the western, northern and southern walls, and the two stairwells leading to the upper floor. The upper church in Banganarti was dedicated to Raphael Archangel, the patron and protector of human health. Similar to many Byzantine sanctuaries dedicated to archangels the Banganarti Raphaelion was a faith healing resort, attracting pilgrims from far away. It was purposefully planned and executed to accommodate large amounts of visitors. On its walls were found nearly a thousand inscriptions and picture graffiti commemorating people visiting the place. The pilgrims could glimpse into the seven chapels arranged along its eastern wall. In each chapel there was an image of a king. The rulers wearing festive robes with full blown regalia are depicted centrally among the Apostolic College. This iconographic scheme proves the high status of the king in the Nubian religious hierarchy.
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