Aleta Walker
Ancient Nubia
CHIS-201WS-01
November 19, 2012
0
Aleta Walker
Civilizations are often defined by aspects that have helped to shape their culture such as
the clothing they wear, the food they eat, and by the monuments and statues that are left behind
many generations after the civilization perished. Ancient Nubia was located in what is now
southern Egypt and northern Sudan. The first Nubian age spanned from 3100 to 1000 B.C.
However from 1550 B.C. to 1100 B.C. marked the colonization of Nubia by Egypt. The Nubian
civilization was famous for multiple things such as their vast wealth, their skill and precision
with the bow, and their trade between central Africa and the lower Nile valley civilizations.
Today in culture, Nubia is now southern Egypt and Sudan. Ancient Nubia’s culture proved to be
significant due the unique aspects of their culture such as gender roles, their religious beliefs, and
the techniques they used to support their diet and lifestyle.
Gender roles in Nubia were very distinct; women were goddesses in their belief system,
queens in their political system, and commoners were a vital part of society. Women in Nubia
exercised significant control over their households; they were responsible for fetching firewood
and water, working the fields, and selling goods in the marketplace. Women who were queens in
Nubia were seen as priestess. Since they were considered royalty, the queens were the women
who oversaw these activities, but did not participate in them. According to Giovanni Ruffini,
“...the queen’s roles consisted of having a presence in the protocols of the country and being a
child bearer.”1 However in rare instances if no pharaoh ruled alongside the queen, she would also
become responsible for leading men into war, helping with the creation of new monuments
(Amina’s walls); protecting the common people from attacks they had no control over, and “…
played an important role in who was going to be the next king or queen.”2
1Giovanni
2R o n a n
Ruffini, Medieval Nubia: A Social and Economic History, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012), 243.
Bartok, Ancient Egypt and Nubia, (Parsippany: Good Year Books, 1994), 14.
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Men in Ancient Nubia were just as important as women. The king was highly involved in
politics as well as responsible for overseeing the structure of the Nubian economy.
“… The king was the political leader, warlord, and religious ritualistic. The king
appointed the Minister of the Treasury, seal bearers, heads of archives, Minister of granaries, the
chief scribe, and other lower ranking scribes. Nubian Kings also had power in choosing their
successor.”3
The king’s religious views were never challenged by the council. Whatever the king thought was
right, the council thought the same. However, only the Amen, who was the counselor of the king,
consulted him in decisions he made. Men in Nubia were also sculptors. They made statues and
carved small tables, as well as a scribe who drew the hieroglyphics for the sculptor to cut.
Ancient Nubians believed in multiple gods and goddesses, in an afterlife, and in
maintaining a harmonious balance with the earth. Gods and goddesses in the Nubia held many
responsibilities. Gods in Nubian culture were often depicted in illustrations in both human and
animal form; having an earthly abodes. There was the lion- god, Apedemak, who was referred to
as the lord of Royal power. The lion god symbolized light, truth, regeneration, and was also a
god of fertility. There was also Amesemi who served as a protective goddess, goddess Mehit
who represented the eye of Re, and Sebiumeker who was the god of procreation. There are no
records that can account for how many Gods in all the Nubians served, but it has been estimated
that they served over 100. As the Nubians and Egyptians began to blend together this was also
how they acquired to take on the roles of serving not only their gods, but Egyptian gods as well.
Nubians also had numerous burial rituals, and purification that can be traced back as early as
6000 B.C.E. The Kush believed that,
3
Six, Ending Stereotypes for America, "Ancient Nubia." Last modified 2005. Accessed October 24, 2012.
http://endingstereotypes.org/ancient_nubia.html.
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“… before creation, the world was covered with water. From this, a mound of earth rose
out of the water and on top of this mound; Atum the first god of earth was born. Atum then gave
birth to Shu, the first man on earth and Tefnu, the first woman goddess.” 4
They also believed in afterlife, they buried their dead with numerous objects that they would
possibly need in the afterlife as well as a supply of food and water. Other practices such as
weddings lasting for 40 days were common along with the groom presenting several gifts to the
bride, her mother, and sisters throughout those 40 days, the belief of pyramids serving as several
purposes, and that each god had their own individual purpose.
Agriculture along the Nile valley gave Nubians their necessary food supply. Because of
this, most of the Nubian population was farmers. The Nubians had only three growing seasons
and within those seasons harvested millet, wheat barley, beans, tobacco, lentils, peas, and
watermelon. Dates, mangoes, and citrus trees were also used to produce fruit during a dry
season. Dates however, became an important crop in the Nubian society. Nubians were known
for their good date wine which is a common traditional drink in Sudan today. Cattle, sheep, and
goats were meats eaten as well as pig that was eaten in limited amounts. However, cattle were
predominantly used to run the waterwheel. Another item that was prominent to Nubian diet was
ostrich eggs. Ostrich eggs were found in large amounts of graves at Kerma. Kushite main
sources of water were from wells. Milk was also a common drink. Since Nubia herded
domesticated animals, milk was abundant and has also been found on the teeth of mummies and
pots. As stated earlier wine was very popular; pottery containing wine was found almost in every
grave.
The Nile was used in many ways by the Nubians. Since the Nile flooded often, the
Nubians also devised ways to control the Nile for their own use and protection. Over time the
4D a v i d
Edwards, The Nubian Past: An Archaeology of Sudan, (New York: Routledge, 2004),
113.
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river allowed the Nubians to exchange goods, ideas, and beliefs. They exported and imported
goods, traded with Egypt and surrounding countries and also the Nile gave the Nubians a
constant source of water, allowing them to fish, farm, and build communities. Trade along the
Nile was very convenient. The Nubians traded the various crops they had grown, gold for salt,
copper, and silver. Also the goods that passed through Nubia on their way to Egypt allowed the
Nubian community to maintain a certain type of lifestyle, as well as flourish in resources. These
items included ebony wood, ivory, ostrich eggs and feathers, animal skins, and throw- sticks,
oils, resins and gums, and pygmies. Nubia’s most important resource for trading was metal,
along with stone and copper; both which were necessary for the Egyptians monuments. After
Nubia won their independence bake from Egypt, Kerma became an important trading center
where the Kushites developed their own culture independently. Pottery was also an important
item that was traded.
Besides trade, attire also contributed to Nubian lifestyle. Clothing in ancient Nubia was
made mostly from leather and linen fibers. Nubians wore diverse types of clothes, but common
wear consisted of men wearing a black robe also called a jelbaba, women being seen wrapped in
shawls hanging down to their feet and children also wearing blue or multi colored jelbabas.
Among the common people, jewelry was also admired by the women as well as by the men.
However you often saw women wearing numerous amounts of ornaments. These included the
wearing a necklace, ring, ear rings, anklets nose rings, bracelets and other ornaments such as
necklaces made from heads. According to Jennings,
“…women wore both silver and gold jewelry, but after the High Dam was built they
began to replace silver pieces with gold. Four kinds of gold were worn by village women: a set
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of three pairs of earrings, a group of three necklaces, a set of three bracelets, and a pair of
rings.”5
Today in Nubia women still wear assorted accessories, but not as much as they use to. Ancient
Nubian kings and queen attire differed from the common people also, but not as much. The kings
of Nubia wore loincloths and tunics. Pharaohs also wore simple kilts that consisted of colored
bands as well as tight skullcaps as their crowns; two cobras were attached to a golden headband
over the skullcap. Nubian kings did not wear shirts, the depicted bare chests with the exception
of a large gold necklace. Ancient Nubian queens also wore crowns as well. The crown of the first
wife to Pharaoh consisted of two horns. Queens were also depicted in works of art wearing
transparent linen loose robes that were plain of decoration. The queens of Nubia didn’t usually
wear as much jewelry as the common people, but their jewelry was much more elegant. Along
with their outfit, the queens also wore leather sandals that were also very elegant.
Nubia is a civilization that proved to be unique in more ways than one. The unique
aspects of this culture helped to shape the world we know and love today, as well as gave
neighboring countries resources they did not have to help them grow economically and
culturally. Their beliefs and findings that were passed on and left behind, gave the world insight
into a civilization that is often left in the shadows of ancient Egypt. Knowing that Nubia tried to
help Egypt and not just try to conquer them as the Egyptians did the Nubians helps to come to
the conclusion that Egyptians and Nubians were not always enemies, and tried helped each other
as much as possible. With being the people who also believed strongly in an afterlife, it is
probably why they have so many gods within this civilization. Having gods for almost
everything they believe in is also what makes the country unique. Along with many other
5
Anne Jennings, "Women's Gold Jewelry in Egyptian Nubia," JSTOR (1988): 68,
http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.auctr.edu:2051/stable/3336692?&
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advances such as the importance of wine, the many uses of one pyramid, and the many ways
they used the Nile, Nubia is an extraordinary and unique country just like its neighbors.
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Reference Page
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Bartok, Ronan. Ancient Egypt and Nubia. Parsippany: Good Year Books, 1994.
Edwards, David. The Nubian Past: Archaeology of Sudan. New York: Rutledge, 2004.
Jennings, Anne. "Women's Gold Jewelry in Egyptian Nubia." JSTOR. (1988): 68.
http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.auctr.edu:2051/stable/3336692?&Search=yes&searc
hText=Nubia&searchText=trade&list=hide&searchUri=/action/doBasicSearch?Query=N
ubia+and++trade&Search=Search&gw=jtx&prq=Nubian+trade&hp=25&acc=on&aori=a
&wc=off&fc=off&prevSearch=&item=21&ttl=2191&returnArticleService=showFullTex
t. (Accessed November 19, 2012).
Ruffini, Giovanni. Medieval Nubia: A Social and Economic History. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2012
Six. Ending Stereotypes for America, "Ancient Nubia." Last modified 2005. Accessed
October 24, 2012. http://endingstereotypes.org/ancient_nubia.html.
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