How the UAE-Backed RSF looted Sudan’s National Museum.
The National Museum of Sudan. Image via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has played a central role in financing Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), providing the resources that have allowed the group to sustain its military campaigns, pay its fighters, and acquire weapons. This financial backing has also enabled the RSF to engage in widespread looting, including the pillaging of one of Sudan’s most significant cultural institutions, the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum. The RSF’s actions have contributed to the destruction of Sudan’s cultural heritage and led to the trafficking of irreplaceable artifacts on the black market.
The Sudan National Museum housed some of the most important collections of artifacts in Africa, spanning thousands of years of history—from the Paleolithic era, through the ancient Kingdom of Kush, to the medieval Christian and Islamic periods. Each artifact within the museum was a tangible link to Sudan’s rich past, representing civilizations that played a vital role in shaping the Nile Valley. The museum’s treasures were not just relics of art and history but critical pieces of Sudan’s national identity.
One of the most valuable collections in the museum came from the Kingdom of Kush, an ancient civilization that thrived along the Nile from around 2500 BCE to 350 CE. The early period of Kush, often referred to as the pre-Meroitic period, is known for its powerful military and rich culture, and its rulers, the famous “black pharaohs” of Egypt’s 25th Dynasty, left a lasting legacy. The museum’s collection included granite statues of these pharaohs, remarkable for their detailed craftsmanship and imposing presence. The statues were just one part of a broader collection that also featured the Kushites’ advanced metalwork, such as gold jewelry, weapons, and tools, highlighting their expertise in metallurgy.
Equally significant was the museum’s collection from the Meroitic period of the Kingdom of Kush, which lasted from about 800 BCE to 350 CE. Meroë, the capital of this later phase, was renowned for its distinctive art and architecture. The museum housed numerous artifacts from this period, including intricately decorated pottery, funerary objects, and the famous Meroitic stelae inscribed with a script that remains partially undeciphered to this day. These artifacts provide a window into a civilization that continues to intrigue historians and archaeologists.
As Sudan transitioned into the medieval era, the Christian kingdoms of Nubia, including Makuria and Alodia, flourished between the 6th and 15th centuries. The Sudan National Museum held a remarkable collection from this period, particularly the frescoes from the cathedral of Faras. These frescoes, dating from the 8th to 14th centuries, were among the finest examples of medieval African Christian art, depicting biblical scenes, saints, and the royal figures of Nubian society. The loss of these frescoes is a devastating blow to our understanding of the cultural and religious life in medieval Nubia.
The museum’s collection also reflected the shift in the country’s religious and cultural landscape with the rise of Islam in the 15th century. Artifacts from this period included exquisitely illuminated Qur’ans, some of which dated back to the early centuries of Islam in Sudan. These manuscripts were not only religious texts but also masterpieces of calligraphy and design, demonstrating the intricate artistry of Sudanese Islamic culture.
The RSF’s looting of the Sudan National Museum is not just a tragedy for Sudan but a global loss. The artifacts stolen from the museum have already begun appearing on black markets, sold through platforms like eBay and Facebook. These items, once housed in a public institution for all to appreciate and learn from, are now being traded to the highest bidder, often with little regard for their historical value or the stories they tell about the people and civilizations that created them. The black-market sale of these treasures represents the erasure of Sudan’s cultural heritage.
Each stolen statue, manuscript, or fresco is a puzzle piece in Sudan’s long and intricate history. The destruction and theft of artifacts like the statues of the black pharaohs or the Christian frescoes of Faras leave gaps in the story of Sudan’s past that may never be filled, meaning future generations will have an incomplete picture of the powerful civilizations that once ruled the Nile Valley. These artifacts connected Sudanese people to their ancestors, and without them, a critical part of Sudan’s identity is lost.
There is an urgent need for international action to stem the flow of stolen cultural property. Without intervention, Sudan’s heritage will continue to be auctioned off to private collectors, hidden away in personal collections, and forever separated from the public eye. The looting of these treasures is an irreversible loss—not just for Sudan but for the world.
