Ancient Nubia @nubiaknowledge-blog - Tumblr Blog

The notion that the emulation of Egyptian practices by Nubians represents a natural acculturation towards an inherently appealing and sophisticated Egyptian culture is heavily embedded within Egyptology. The possibility that the conquered Nubians might have influenced Egyptian society or maintained native practices tends to be ignored or denied

Egyptian culture and Nubian culture are often treated as if they are/were in binary opposition. However, new evidence suggests that Egyptians and Nubians share a complex pattern of juxtapositions as well as entanglements that blend Egyptian and Nubian elements in various aspects.

Not to mention, that popular culture’s representation of “Egyptian culture” tends to overlook the traditions of the Nubian culture that still exist today. Instead, it treats Nubia as if it were solely a thing of the past when in reality these traditions still exist today.

https://drive.google.com/a/ucsc.edu/file/d/0BzlRDoOHXDGOWm9YYzBUTmFZNzQ/view?usp=sharing

#ancientnubia #ancientegypt #nubiantradition #nubiaknowledge #archaeology #anthropology #popculture

Nubian hunters and warriors excelled as archers, and their weapon became a symbol for Nubia. “Land of the Bow” is the meaning of Ta-Seti, an ancient Egyptian term used to denote Nubia for thousands of years in antiquity. Archers formed the core of Nubian armies that vied with Egypt for control over parts of the Nile valley, conquered Egypt in the 8th century BC, and confronted the troops of the Assyrian empire. The skill of Nubian archers made them valued members in the military forces of other lands. Egyptian texts as early as 2400 BC note Nubians in Egyptian armies. Representations of Nubian warriors appear in Egyptian tomb models, reliefs, and paintings in all periods of ancient Egyptian history. #nubia #anthropology #ancientegypt #africanmonarch

https://oi.uchicago.edu/museum-exhibits/nubia/nubian-archers

#anthropology #africanmonarch #nubia #ancientegypt

Mark Nelson, author of the article linked below, found large amounts of tetracycline in bones tested from an ancient Nubian site. Nelson asserts that Nubians knew of technology to make antibiotic beer and used it to cure themselves of bacteria.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.21340/full

#nubiaknowledge #archaeology #anthropology #nubia #egypt #sudan #beer

Meroitic Writing

Meroitic became the official language of the Nubian kingdom around 200 BC. There are both hieroglyphic and demotic (or cursive) versions of Meroitic, an alpha syllabic script made up of 23 characters. Of these there are four vowels, fifteen consonants, and four syllabus signs (syllables possessing inherent vowels). Words are separated by two or three dots, and the cursive is read right to left; the hieroglyphics top to bottom. This writing system is the oldest in Africa apart from Egyptian hieroglyphics. While the cursive was probably more efficient for writing, the script is not included in the Rosetta Stone making it difficult for anthropologists to decipher its meanings. Some words appear often and are known, but the majority of the language still remains a mystery. The third image (the black granite) is the Stela of Queen Tabiry and on it is the original Kushite language, reserved mainly for sacred and ritual occasions. This writing system is very similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics even though recent diggings found that they developed the system before the invasion of Egyptians.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3853742

#nubiaknowledge #archaeology #anthropology #nubia #egypt #language

The Qustul Incense Burner

• • While excavating an A-Group cemetery, the Qustul Incense Burner was found in the tomb of a Nubian ruler at Qustul. It is made of limestone and contains carved images, a common technique of Nubian rock art. In the first photo the artifact is drawn flat to show the images more clearly. These include sacred boats (used in ceremonial practices), a feline, an antelope, rosette, a falcon deity, a prisoner, the White Crown, and a palace. These pharaonic images, similar to those found in Egyptian art, reaffirms a relationship between Nubia and Egypt.

These similarities have caused much debate in anthropology. While some believe Nubian rulers and Egyptian pharaohs just used related royal symbols, others argue that Nubians were imitating Egyptian art and rituals. The assumption dismisses evidence of Nubian unification before that of Upper Egypt.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/544188

#ancientnubia #nubiaknowledge #egypt #tombs #archaeology #anthropology #qustul #incense #excavation

Ancient Nubia: Exports and Imports • • Throughout history, Kush remains the closest trade partner to Egypt.

Exports: The Kushites were the only elephant exporting people besides the Indians. Kushite elephants were used by ancient armies of Egypt - The Egyptian city of Elephantine, the Greek word for elephant, was named so because elephants were sold and exported there.

The Kushites were also known for exporting Elephant Tusks. Kush was the primary exporter of Ivory in the ancient world. In addition, The Kushites were known for gold, considering it was also a natural mineral the Kushites possessed.

Imports: Bronze was the Kushites’ most imported product. Oil was a common import as well. Kushites imported olive oil from Lebanon. Also, Lumber and Cedar trees were imported from Levant and used as building materials.

http://www.ancientsudan.org/dailylife_04_trade.htm

#ancientnubia #nubiaknowledge #anthropology #archaeology #trade #export #import #ivory #nubiangold

Ancient Nubia: Transportation • • Ships and boats were the main means of transporting goods and people around Nubia.

Ancient Nubians built large wooden ships equipped with square sails and oars. The planks were held together with rope, expanding in the water and making the vessel watertight. Acacia wood was used in Lower Nubia ships. Ships could travel with ease up and down the Nile.

Boats and Ships also served a ceremonial purpose. Ceremonial boats and ships were used transport mummified bodies of royals and nobles across the Nile to their tombs. Today, Egyptians still cross the Nile by boat in a vessel called a Felucca, which is a small boat with a large triangular sell.

#ancientnubia #anthropology #archaeology #nubiaknowledge #nubianboats #transportation #NileRiver #Egypt

Agriculture and Diet

Agriculture along the Nile Valley provided the Kushites with a necessary food supply. • • Barley, Sorghum, and wheat were the most common cultivated crops in Sudan. Evidence shows legumes, peas and lentils were a part of the Ancient Nubian diet as well. Furthermore, the Kushites consumed a variety of fruits.

In addition, Kushites consumed animal food products such as meats, fish (which was a popular and inexpensive food in Ancient Nubia) milk, cheese and eggs.

http://www.ancientsudan.org/dailylife_01_diet.htm

#ancientnubia #nubiaknowledge #anthropology #archaeology #nubiandiet #agriculture

The Kushites of Ancient Nubia: Apparel

The Kushites wore diverse types of clothing. Clothing worn by the Kushites were mostly made of leather and linen fibers.

Men: clothed with loin and tunics made of linen. Men wore tunics tucked under their belts and tied to their fronts in a butterfly tie.

Women: clothed with simple long skirts and often bare-chested. Women would also wear a piece of cloth with tassels dangling from the lower edge in addition to wearing heavy ornaments that included a headband, large bracelet, and armlets.

http://www.ancientsudan.org/dailylife_02_clothing.htm

#ancientnubia #nubiaknowledge #Egypt #kushite #nubianapparel #anthropology #archaeology

Jewelry was a prominent element of Ancient Nubian apparel • • Another characteristics of Nubian jewelry is that it consisted of unusual and exotic materials such as rare stones or imported stones.

#ancientnubia #egypt #ring #bracelet #nubianapparel #earrings #nubiaknowledge #nubianjewelry #necklace #anthropology #archaeology

the 25th dynasty—a family group of strong kings from Nubia or Kush, south of Egypt in what is present-day Sudan. These rulers were dark skinned and bore the distinguishing facial features of sub-Saharan peoples. They swept north along the Nile to the delta, reinvigorating historic forms of worship as they came, thus gaining the support of the Egyptian priests. While the skin color of the native Egyptian pharaohs was a large mix of variety with genetic traits from regions from much of the Mediterranean, there’s no dispute that during the 25th dynasty all of Egypt answered to black pharaohs who hailed from deep within Africa. #nubianknowledge #anthropology #archeology #africanmonarch

http://www.livius.org/articles/dynasty/25-dynasty-nubians/ http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/phar/hd_phar.htm

#africanmonarch #anthropology #archeology #nubianknowledge

The Nubian empire used this process, called a Bloomery, in order to produce iron well before the peoples of the global west. Check out Documentary Educational Resources documentary "Tree of Iron" to learn more about early African iron production. http://www.der.org/films/tree-of-iron.html

HĀPI - God of the Nile and God of fertility • • A human-headed God often depicted as androgynous. HĀPI is portrayed with blue skin and a crown of papyrus or lotus plants.

http://www.etana.org/sites/default/files/coretexts/20626.pdf (pg. 42-48)

#ancientnubia #egypt #hapi #egyptiangods #anthropology #archaeology #nubiaknowledge

Nubian Villages • • Nubians live in brightly colored homes. Traditionally, these homes lack a roof in many rooms and the floor is made of sand. Many Nubian villages have been abandoned for the last century due to the flooding from the artificial Lake Nasser, which was created by the construction of the high dam. As a result, more than 100,000 Nubian inhabitants of the area were relocated to villages north of Aswan and around Kom Ombo or abandoned.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/research/directory/material_culture_wengrow/Lilli_Zabrana.pdf

#ancientnubia #nubiaknowledge #aswan #nubianvillages #egypt #anthropology #archaeology

Nubian People - Nubian traditions, heritage and culture • • https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5sL_xWxns5HVVYzSjc3NUo1NGM/view?usp=sharing (pp 24 -25)

#ancientnubia #nubiaknowledge #anthropology #archaeology

Chased gold pectoral representing the winged goddess Isis, shown kneeling with wings outstretched. In her right hand, she holds an ankh, the symbol for “life”; in her left hand she holds what may be the hieroglyph for a sail, the symbol for the breath of life. On her head is a throne, the hierogyph for her name. From Nuri, pyramid 10 (tomb of Amaninatakelebte). #ancientnubia #nubiangold #heritagesite #sudan #africanmonarch

http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/winged-isis-pectoral-142334

#ancientnubia #nubiangold #heritagesite #africanmonarch #sudan

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/expedition-raw/150521-turchik-pyramids-drones

http://www.gizapyramids.org/static/pdf%20library/bmfa_pdfs/bmfa21_1923_11to27.pdf

#ancient #nubia #egypt #meroe #anthropology #archaeology #nubiaknowledge #nationalgeographic

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