Art and Archaeology of Ancient Nubia
Week 3: The B-Group, C-Group, and Pan-Grave Cultures
1
Introducing the B-Group and the C-Group
Egypt eclipsed the A-Group, some of which may have continued as early aspects of the BGroup. Not a lot of information.
The C-Group appears after the demise of the A-Group. Two phases: Ancient and Second.
Cattle farmers. Small settlements, later phase more complex buildings also made from stone
and brick. The C-Group also went to the Upper Nubia, with connections to the Kerma culture.
C-Group had carvings of long-horn cows on grave markers, axes, decorations. Figurines of
animals including jewellery.
C-Group sites (rings of stones with rubble) at Aniba, Faras, Dakka. Burial goods are often made
of cowhides, etc.
Pottery is similar to A-Group and Kerma culture, but also distinctly different, influence from
more Eastern colours. Black polished incised, often crosshatches, checkerboard and
pigmented.
2
C-Group Pottery
Hemispherical bowl with black polished ware sometimes with coloured pigments. Lots of
different designs, possibly derived from beadwork.
3
C-Group Expeditions
Geometric patterns are also on beadwork and figurines. Beads were sewn on garments (shell
and pottery beads in lozenge patterns).
Egyptian old kingdom about 2700 BC. Exotic animals, ivory ebony incense and gold enticed the
Egyptians, plus stones and minerals for sculpture. Access had to be controlled: a series of
incursions followed. Quarries near Abu Simbel. 4th and 5th dynasty Egypt started to enlarge
into Nubia. These feats are written down in hieroglyphic texts Snefru had brought back
prisoners as mentioned in the Palermo stone.
By the Eg. Sixth dynasty: Egypt’s influence started to disappear. Nubian mercenaries were
recruited in the Egyptian army. Biographies report on expedition to Nubia for the kings.
Nubians controlled the areas or had trading relations with the region.
Further expeditions to Nubia were organised. Many gifts were brought back to the king, and
Egyptians moved further and further to the south. Peaceful relations with Nubians who
continued to fight amongst themselves (propaganda?).
Yam = Kerma?
Harkhuf’s final expeditions: Irtjat, Sedjet and Wawat were probably united. He brought back a
Pygmee which pleased the king. This not only shows interest, but that the range of pygmees
what much larger at the time.
Areika excavation: probably a settlements of C-Group people employed by the Egyptians.
Most C-Group dwellings were irregular, here there is Egyptian influence. The C-Group people
may have been allies of the Egyptians and many of the settlements are near the mudbrick forts
built by the Egyptians to take control of the second cataract region.
4
Nubian Hunters
Agriculture in arid lands had to be autmented by hunting. Nubians were bowmen and well
known for it, they were mentioned as the Medjay. These warriors are part of the Pan-Grave
culture (southern Egypt and northern Nubia). The graves have bows arrows, other weapons
and jewellery (including earrings, until then unknown in Egypt). They intermarried freely with
Egyptians, even at highest level of society.
They were important for the reunification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
5
Egypt and the Nubians
Many pharaohs have Nubian ancestors. Nubians were accepted as part of Egyptian culture,
but considered Nubia as a land to be acquired by army. Wawat was taken under Amenhotep I.
Fortress of Buhan was built to strengthen the stance. Kingdom of Kush rose and required
more fortifications to control the river (eg Semna as southern boundary). A channel was built
through the first cataract.
Semwaset, King of Egypt was deified and the cult lasted for more than 1000 years.
The soldiers stationed in the fort interacted with the population and had an eye on them.
Bread was given based on wooden tokens. Interesting!
Mudbrick forts / Castles were build on the banks of the river, or on the rocks high up. Orenarti
fortress was left after Lake Nasser flooded the area. The walls are still partly in existence.
Used until late in the Middle Kingdom.
Egypt became less powerful and the rulers of Kush started to reassert themselves and formed
a threat to Egypt.
B
Discussion
1
How did the Egyptians maintain control of Lower Nubia?
Depending on the strength of Egypt itself, different means were applied. When Egypt itself
was unified and under strong leadership, Lower Nubia was regarded as a natural part of Egypt
that required conquest and incorporation into the whole of Egypt. In any case, fortifications
and a military presence would have been the first order on the agenda.
There was also the Nubian interest to associate themselves with Egypt in some way, and for
diverse reasons: they could be attracted culturally to Egypt, or to the fertile lands to the north
(especially when the desert that turned more and more arid did not supply enough food to live
on). Another reason for the members of the Pan Handle culture may have been the growing
power in the south and their attempts to stay out of their orbit
In both cases, it appears that Egyptian society did not really make a great distinction between
what they considered Egyptian or Nubian. It wasn’t a matter of “in or out”, but rather a
spectrum of grey zones from the Lower Egypt through Upper Egypt, Lower Nubia into Upper
Nubia and it remained unclear where one really turned into the other. The cataracts served as
natural points where those “borders” could be located, which explains the Egyptian interest in
the second cataract after they had tackled the first one.
2
What are the differences between Upper and Lower Nubia?
I would assume that Upper Nubia was much less influenced by the Egyptian culture and
expansion than Lower Nubia was. Upper Nubia, on the other hand, had a greater interest and
more elaborate contacts to the southern neighbors, thus ensuring their usefulness as a transit
and trade area linking Lower Nubia (and Egypt) to the Great Lakes area, the Sahel, and even
the lands along the Red Sea and beyond.