The Butana (Arabic: البطانة, Buṭāna ), historically called the Island of Meroë , is the region between the Atbara and the Nile in the Sudan . South of Khartoum it is bordered by the Blue Nile and in the east by Lake Tana in Ethiopia . It should not be confused with the Gezira , the region west of the Blue Nile and east of the White Nile .
7-471: A hafir , or haffir , is an artificially constructed water catchment basin with a circular earthen wall and diameters of between 70-250 m and heights of up to 7 m. Adapted to semi-desert conditions, the hafirs catch the water during the rainy season to have it available for several months during the dry season to supply drinking water, irrigate fields and water cattle. It is used in central Sudan from time immemorial. Hafirs were an important feature of
14-799: Is mainly inhabited by the Sudanese Arabs of Sudan , such as the Shukria clan , the Batahin , the Lahawiin, the Rufaa people , Rashaida , the Ansar , the Awazim, and other Arabian tribes. However, the Butana has been identified as mainly the domain of the powerful Shukria clan and their ruling family of "Abusin." The Shukria have, through power of arms, become overlords of the Butana since
21-660: The Butana breed of cattle, Butana sheep, Butana goats, et cetera. Historically, it was part of Alodia and later the Funj Sultanate of Sinnar . Butana was known as the "Island of Meroë" when it was part of the Kushitic kingdom of Meroë . The city of Meroë was about halfway between Atbarah and Khartoum , on the east side of the Nile river. There were two other major Meroitic cities in Butana, Musawwarat es-Sufra and Naqa . Today it
28-450: The 17th century. In local poetry, the Butana is numerously referred to as "the Butana of Abusin" in reference to the Shukria tribal chief Ahmad Bey ibn 'Awad el Kerim of whom Sir Samuel Baker has left so vivid a portrait. It is also sometimes referred to as "the Butana of Abu Ali" in reference to a distant ancestor of Ahmed Bey Abusin credited for ensuring the triumph of the victorious Shukira in
35-808: The Meroitic civilization in the Butana and were often built in the immediate vicinity of temples, for example the Great Hafir near the Lion Temple in Musawwarat es-Sufra . 800 ancient and modern hafirs have been registered in the Butana. Some scholars assume that the hafirs near temples were a Meroitic policy to control pastoralists’ movements and collect taxes. Hafirs are still constructed and used today in central Sudan and South Sudan . Today's hafirs hold between 10,000 m and 60,000 m of water mostly administered by village communities and are used for irrigation. Only
42-435: The hafirs excavated by the government are also accessible to the herds of nomads. Butana Geological characteristics of the Butana are sandy and stony soils, light non-cracking clay, and dark cracking clay; the superficial clays cover over 70% of the plain. Although there are very limited water resources, seasonal surface water wells and a few deep bore wells are present. A tropical continental climate provides rain in
49-411: The southern section of the plain. Two vegetation zones feature a semi-desert Acacia shrub, short grasslands, and a low woodland savannah. The region includes most of the state of Al Qadarif plus parts of the states of Kassala , River Nile , Khartoum , Al Jazirah and Sennar . The Butana plain occupies most of Butana. The name Butana is applied to many things which come from the region, such as
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