The Sudan Middle Stone Age Lithic and Contextual Database (SUM): Structure, Research Potential, and Future Directions

The Sudanese Middle Stone Age (MSA) represents a crucial context for understanding human dispersal, technological innovation, and cultural adaptation during the late Pleistocene. Yet, after nearly a century of Pleistocene archaeology in Sudan, no standardized database of this record has existed. Research in this area has long been characterized by the diverse and fragmented nature of individual studies, resulting in incomplete datasets, variable chronological control, and limited comparability across the published record. The Sudan MSA Lithic and Contextual Database (SUM) presents a clean, standardized dataset of 283 sites that integrates geographic location, chronological setting, environmental context, raw material availability, and technological strategies to address these challenges. Through a critical assessment of available data and the application of a controlled glossary of terms, SUM ensures comparability and provides a reliable basis for synthesis. Preliminary results demonstrate the wide distribution of Levallois and Nubian Levallois technologies in Sudan, but also reveal large chronological gaps, as only 17 out of 283 sites have yielded absolute dates. SUM thus represents the first comprehensive and standardized dataset for the Sudanese MSA and constitutes an important resource for future research on technological diversity, ecological adaptation, and human dispersal.