Nubia History of a Nile river kingdom

Thesis The Nubian’s were very advanced with innovative ideas, an interesting culture, and many difficult environmental factors that made them the great land they were.

The Nubian’s were very advanced with innovative ideas, an interesting culture, and many difficult environmental factors that made them the great land they were.

Culture, Everyday Life, and Cultural Interactions Specific Thesis The Nubian’s cultural advancements played a huge role in their everyday lives, and their thriving empire.

Specific Thesis

The Nubian’s cultural advancements played a huge role in their everyday lives, and their thriving empire.

Nubian Life Culture Neolithic 5th millennium- Nubian’s were part of an Agricultural Revolution. Domesticated plants and animals Many sculptures depicting cattle cult Kerma Evolved from Neolithic around 2400 BC By 1650 BC it was a densely occupied urban center 1500 BC Egypt conquers all of Nubia and is set into a period of war and violence Egypt continued to fall apart due to weak pharaohs and invasions Egypt fell apart Era of Kush (Kushnites) Nubia was source of products and slaves for Egypt After long Egyptian rule, Kush emerged as a regional power

Culture

Neolithic

5th millennium- Nubian’s were part of an Agricultural Revolution.

Domesticated plants and animals

Many sculptures depicting cattle cult

Kerma

Evolved from Neolithic around 2400 BC

By 1650 BC it was a densely occupied urban center

1500 BC

Egypt conquers all of Nubia and is set into a period of war and violence

Egypt continued to fall apart due to weak pharaohs and invasions

Egypt fell apart

Era of Kush (Kushnites)

Nubia was source of products and slaves for Egypt

After long Egyptian rule, Kush emerged as a regional power

Interaction between Nubia and Egypt Egypt ruled Kush for a long period Egyptians strongly influence Nubian life Kush’s capital, Napata, became a center for cultural diffusion Nubians built pyramids similar to Egyptians but steeper Regained independence after Egypt's decline in 1100 BC Tried to restore Egypt The Assyrians, war driven, conquered Egypt from Nubian control Forced to move south, up the Nile by the Assyrians and despite the loss of Egypt the Kush experienced a golden age.

Egypt ruled Kush for a long period

Egyptians strongly influence Nubian life

Kush’s capital, Napata, became a center for cultural diffusion

Nubians built pyramids similar to Egyptians but steeper

Regained independence after Egypt's decline in 1100 BC

Tried to restore Egypt

The Assyrians, war driven, conquered Egypt from Nubian control

Forced to move south, up the Nile by the Assyrians and despite the loss of Egypt the Kush experienced a golden age.

Everyday Nubian Life Facts Mines were an important source of gold not only for Nubia but for Egypt as well Nubian kings DID conquer Egypt for a short but important time The term “Nubia” is now only applied to the Nubian desert in upper Sudan and lower Egypt Nubians only adopted Egyptian ideas and religions after seizing northern power Kings of Kerma (a Nubian kingdom formed shortly after 2000 BC) were buried in a chamber larger than ANY Egyptian pyramid

Mines were an important source of gold not only for Nubia but for Egypt as well

Nubian kings DID conquer Egypt for a short but important time

The term “Nubia” is now only applied to the Nubian desert in upper Sudan and lower Egypt

Nubians only adopted Egyptian ideas and religions after seizing northern power

Kings of Kerma (a Nubian kingdom formed shortly after 2000 BC) were buried in a chamber larger than ANY Egyptian pyramid

Afterlife, Government and Achievements Specific Thesis The Nubian’s had an interesting take on the afterlife, but in their actual lives they had a strong government which achieved many things.

Specific Thesis

The Nubian’s had an interesting take on the afterlife, but in their actual lives they had a strong government which achieved many things.

The Afterlife Because of the Egyptian influence on Nubia for such a long time, their ideas of the afterlife were fairly similar Giant mounds of land covering intricate underground tombs were used for Nubian burial whereas Egyptians had massive expansive pyramids. Magical figurines known as shawabties went into tombs of important peoples to serve as workers in the grain fields in heaven The most fam ous shawabty is the one located in King Taharqo’s tomb, now on permanent display in Ontario Canada

Because of the Egyptian influence on Nubia for such a long time, their ideas of the afterlife were fairly similar

Giant mounds of land covering intricate underground tombs were used for Nubian burial whereas Egyptians had massive expansive pyramids.

Magical figurines known as shawabties went into tombs of important peoples to serve as workers in the grain fields in heaven

The most fam ous shawabty is the one located in King Taharqo’s tomb, now on permanent display in Ontario Canada

Achievements Shaduf The water lift. Invented approximately around 1600 BC Its usage was to move water to help deal with flooding and drought. Ox-Driven waterwheel It wasn’t greatly appreciated in its time, but in Roman years it was used to irrigate inland crops during the long dry season

Shaduf

The water lift. Invented approximately around 1600 BC

Its usage was to move water to help deal with flooding and drought.

Ox-Driven waterwheel

It wasn’t greatly appreciated in its time, but in Roman years it was used to irrigate inland crops during the long dry season

Nubian Government Had women rulers as well as male Women were usually preferred rulers to men In modern day society a king is higher than the queen but in few places were the queens more important; Nubia was one of these places. Queen Shandakhete One of the most significant female rulers of Nubia in its history Had a “Kandate” form of government It is suggested that due to this great leadership Nubia was not only as rich as it was but it was highly technologically and artistically advanced

Had women rulers as well as male

Women were usually preferred rulers to men

In modern day society a king is higher than the queen but in few places were the queens more important; Nubia was one of these places.

Queen Shandakhete

One of the most significant female rulers of Nubia in its history

Had a “Kandate” form of government

It is suggested that due to this great leadership Nubia was not only as rich as it was but it was highly technologically and artistically advanced

Climate, Language, and Geography... Oh my! Specific Thesis Though the leadership was changing, and times were sometimes rough in this hot dry land; It didn’t keep Nubians from talking…Literally!

Specific Thesis

Though the leadership was changing, and times were sometimes rough in this hot dry land; It didn’t keep Nubians from talking…Literally!

Climate The year round temperature varied quite widely, but it was fairly hot and dry Warm months, May-September- 100 Degrees Fahrenheit Rest of year reaches below freezing at night Northern Nubia (now Egypt) rarely saw any rain Southern Nubia (now Sudan) has a large rain season July- August Saw a great deal of wind all over Nubia, ALL the time. The high winds made it easy to travel both ways on the Nile Arid desert land

The year round temperature varied quite widely, but it was fairly hot and dry

Warm months, May-September- 100 Degrees Fahrenheit

Rest of year reaches below freezing at night

Northern Nubia (now Egypt) rarely saw any rain

Southern Nubia (now Sudan) has a large rain season July- August

Saw a great deal of wind all over Nubia, ALL the time. The high winds made it easy to travel both ways on the Nile

Arid desert land

Languages Spoken Fiadidja-Mahas- Spoken currently in modern day Sudan. There are 2 different varieties of this specific Nubian language; Fadidja and Mahas. Kenuzi-Dongola- Spoken by people of Sudan AND Egypt. Written Old Nubia had ways (similar to hieroglyphics) to keep archives, but not all were accurate. During the Christian Nubian era the Nubian alphabet resembled the Greek and Coptic ones. The main way to speak Nubian is in way of tones, similar to intonations and chanting.

Spoken

Fiadidja-Mahas- Spoken currently in modern day Sudan. There are 2 different varieties of this specific Nubian language; Fadidja and Mahas.

Kenuzi-Dongola- Spoken by people of Sudan AND Egypt.

Written

Old Nubia had ways (similar to hieroglyphics) to keep archives, but not all were accurate. During the Christian Nubian era the Nubian alphabet resembled the Greek and Coptic ones. The main way to speak Nubian is in way of tones, similar to intonations and chanting.

Geography Nubia was directly below Egypt and above modern day Sudan Depended its existence on The Nile Northern Nubia (Egypt) was only desert on either side of Nile Agriculture All the land nearest the river was widely farmed and all the food was grown there Growth was only possible in early fall after the flood water from the Nile had receded Nothing grows in North Nubia

Nubia was directly below Egypt and above modern day Sudan

Depended its existence on The Nile

Northern Nubia (Egypt) was only desert on either side of Nile

Agriculture

All the land nearest the river was widely farmed and all the food was grown there

Growth was only possible in early fall after the flood water from the Nile had receded

Nothing grows in North Nubia

Nubian Fun Facts Nubian women were highly thought of and respected. They were depicted as being leaders, scholars and goddesses. Unlike most societies of the time, Nubia treated women as equals. An Interesting fact which makes the study of Nubia much more interesting for the theatre oriented is the Broadway show Aida. It is about a “forbidden love” between the next in line to be the Egyptian pharaoh and the Nubian Princess.

Nubian women were highly thought of and respected. They were depicted as being leaders, scholars and goddesses. Unlike most societies of the time, Nubia treated women as equals.

An Interesting fact which makes the study of Nubia much more interesting for the theatre oriented is the Broadway show Aida. It is about a “forbidden love” between the next in line to be the Egyptian pharaoh and the Nubian Princess.

Bibliography Stuart Tyson Smith, Dr. Nubia. Web site: http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/faculty/stsmith/research/nubia_history.html Beck, Roger B., Linda Black, Larry S.Krieger, Phillip C. Naylor, and Dahlia Ibo Shabaka. World History(Patterns of Interaction). United States of America: McDougal Littel Inc., 1999. http://ancientearest.tripod.com/Images/SudanNubia.jpg http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/02/black-pharaohs/robert-draper-text.html http://library.thinkquest.org/22845/introduction/climate.pdf http://www.alovelyworld.com/webegypt/gimage/egy80.jpg http://www.looklex.com/e.o/nubian_l.htm http://www.nubianet.org/about/about_people2.html http://www.freewebs.com/black-legacy/Nubian-workers.jpg http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DD133CF932A25751C0A964958260 http://www.nubianet.org/about/about_people2.html http://wysinger.homestead.com/kush.html

Stuart Tyson Smith, Dr. Nubia.

Web site: http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/faculty/stsmith/research/nubia_history.html

Beck, Roger B., Linda Black, Larry S.Krieger, Phillip C. Naylor, and Dahlia Ibo Shabaka. World History(Patterns of Interaction). United States of America: McDougal Littel Inc., 1999.

http://ancientearest.tripod.com/Images/SudanNubia.jpg

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/02/black-pharaohs/robert-draper-text.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/22845/introduction/climate.pdf

http://www.alovelyworld.com/webegypt/gimage/egy80.jpg

http://www.looklex.com/e.o/nubian_l.htm

http://www.nubianet.org/about/about_people2.html

http://www.freewebs.com/black-legacy/Nubian-workers.jpg

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DD133CF932A25751C0A964958260

http://www.nubianet.org/about/about_people2.html

http://wysinger.homestead.com/kush.html