Dilling

Dilling lies among the northern hills of the Nuba Mountains, where rocky heights rise above the plains of Kordofan. The communities of these hills speak different languages and have long maintained distinct local identities; those associated with Dilling include the Ajang. The hills offered refuge as well as land for cultivation. After the Egyptian conquest of Kordofan in 1821, the new rulers demanded tribute, including enslaved people, from accessible mountain communities such as Dilling.