Ain Farah
Ain Farah is a medieval castle ruins in Darfur in western Sudan. It is the second largest after Uri ruins of the ancient kingdom of Tunjur.
Location
Ain Farah is located in the Furnung Mountains, a picturesque, relatively fertile hills with a few sources. Capital of the region is Kutum, 120 kilometers northwest of al - Fasher. Ain Farah is located about 15 kilometers northwest of Kutum and 25 kilometers from the further in the same direction Uri located on a street. The remains are located on an approximately 100 meter high hill not far from the source lakes, which are used by the same village and the inhabitants of the surrounding area as a cattle trough. At the lakes grow date palms. From there, the entrance leads through a dry valley, which was previously saved in the rear area by a wall up.
History
The origin of the Tunjur is unclear. There was an immigration to Darfur in the 13th century believed from the Northwest, according to another consideration, the Tunjur could be an offshoot of the Christian kingdom of Makuria on the Nile. In this case, they were defeated by the kingdom of Kanem in the 13th century, in the first case by the Bornu Empire in the 16th century. As a place, or even as the capital of a Christian empire Ain Farah could have existed prior to the 13th century. The buildings have been, judging by the finds of potsherds with Christian symbols from Nubia, in the Christian period (before the 14th century) created. It is so far the most westerly place have surfaced on the findings of Christian Nubia. Arkell suggested the place as a monastery from the 10th century, in which there were two churches and at least 26 monks' cells. The suspected link the village with Nubian Christian kingdoms is controversial. According to other experts and in the imagination of the local people, the buildings of Shau Dorshid, the last Tunjur rulers from the 16th century, who had his capital here originate. His reign was ended by Ahmad al - Maqur, the first ruler of the Keira dynasty, which ruled the Fur sultanate until 1916. In a spread throughout Sudan belt mythological legitimation of the dynasty founder appears as the wise stranger who comes to bring a raw uncivilized country and culture, associated with it, Islam.
Plant
The entire system, which extends from the saddle up on the ridge, has an area of about 500 × 800 -meter urban character. It can be seen large stone and brick walls today. At the end of the ascension pathway through the valley stands on the saddle, the Great Mosque, were the outer walls of natural stone; an inner wall and four angled piers were built of baked bricks. The western entrance to the historic fort is reached by a winding road. Before that lie on a slope, the wall remains circular Viehkraale. The first building on the Castle is an Ivan ( Audience Hall ), where the remains of ancient stained glass windows were found. You probably served the state administration. That such halls were needed, is seen as a sign of Islamisation of the state at that time. About a parapet was reached the palace of baked bricks, whose outline was around 1980 no longer recognizable. Lintels and roof beams were made of wood. The round houses located on the southern hill opposite the saddle were small and arranged in rows. 400 meters south are located on another hill the walls of some brick houses, which are referred to locally as the "House of Sultan Mother," and the remains of a small mosque. Show remnants of domes of Islamic veneration of saints ( qubbas ) that the place was still inhabited in the Islamic period. The first Islamic preacher did not come before the 16th century in the region of Darfur.
It found so far only been Surveys, but no excavations. Since the mid- 1980s, the area is a result of civil war in southern Sudan and Darfur to reach only with difficulty. There is evidence that in the area took place ironworking. Among the finds are about 200 beads made of iron.