Temple Graffiti: Holes or Cupules
Graffito T52. Holes – Group
Finger-sized holes are the most common marking in the temple. Based on parallels from medieval Nubia and Coptic Egypt, it seems that this practice was connected with ingestion of the powder by pilgrims, presumably for its magical healing or fertility-enhancing properties. These marks also serve to mark the pilgrims’ presence. Most of the holes are perfectly circular, indicating they were produced by drilling. The El-Kurru sandstone is so soft that they could have been hand-drilled with almost any tool, including a stick. Most of the marks are single or in smaller groups — this is one of the larger groupings.
- Kurru ID number: 601
- Location: Wall face E04-2:4
- Dimensions (H × W): 13.5 × 14.0 cm