Cynthia Smith
Cynthia Smith
The Culture
of Ancient
Nubia
November 19, 2012
CHIS 201WS-02
Professor O
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Cynthia Smith
The ancient Nubian civilization, also referred to as “Kush”, can be dated back to 3,500
B.C.E. The words “Nubia” and “Nubian” do not refer to the language or the ethnicity of the
people but rather depict the actual geographical reference. Although, it is believed that the word
“nub” is an Egyptian word for gold; this particular metal was bountiful in Nubia.1 This ancient
civilization was located in, what is now known as, modern Sudan. There is a limited amount of
evidence known about ancient Nubia, therefore, it is overlooked and falls in the shadow of
ancient Egypt. Though, the remains of cemetery sites and written records allow scientists to
prove that this ancient civilization did, in fact, occur. Nubia is divided into two major time
frames, the Bronze Age, being the most appropriate to explore. The Bronze Age consists of three
major cultures. Of those three cultures, the Kerma culture is the most significant. To better
comprehend the ancient Nubian civilization, it is important to understand the people and the
culture. The unique Nubian civilization is defined by its rich Kerma culture, religion and gender
roles that influence many other societies.
One of the most important aspects of the ancient Nubian culture is the sub-culture. The
Kerma culture, which started in 2,500 B.C.E. and last until around 1,500 B.C.E., was the third
and the last culture to exist, before ancient Nubia was completely conquered by Egypt. Kerma,
also known as the capital of Kush, was Nubia’s earliest city. It sits on the eastern bank of the
Nile River. This specific location provided fertile land for the people and for their cattle. The
abundance of water allowed for the food supply to be plentiful and resulted in the success of this
civilization. Kerma was the most significant culture because it was the most developed and it
was one of the first urban civilizations in Africa. It was built with great detail; encompassing
temples, an audience hall and a palace. Around the city of Kerma were large walls that were
1
Hays, . "Nubia and Nubians." Last modified 2008. Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://factsanddetails.com/world.php?itemid=1975
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Cynthia Smith
constructed in order to protect the people from invaders. This particular culture consisted of three
main phases: Ancient Kerma, Middle Kerma and Classic Kerma.2 These three phases are
deciphered by their distinct pottery as well as the discrete styles of the tombs. Kerma did not
have an actual writing system, “although some people, who did business with the Egyptians, may
have learned hieroglyphic writing.3” Therefore, evidence of the culture is found in the paintings
in the tombs. From the elaborate pieces of pottery found in the tombs, it is indicated that Kerma
was very wealthy and prosperous.4 Though social class and status are inevitable in any
civilization, majority of the individuals were all buried with great care, along with grave goods.
All the bodies found in the tombs were placed facing toward the east. Mostly the commoners
were placed in a cradled position on the ground, whereas the higher ranked individuals were
placed on beds. From the size of the tombs, there is a good indication of “the social rank of the
deceased person when alive; the larger the tumulus, the higher in rank the owner was; and the
smaller it is, the lower in rank the owner was.5” In Ancient Kerma, the tombs were small and
filled with a variety of grave goods such as commonly used ostrich-feather fans. The progression
of the development is seen as the tombs become larger, as well as the mounds become higher,
containing a greater amount of grave goods. In the Middle Kerma period there are more
advancements made in the construction of the tombs as well as the burial rituals. The tombs were
filled with a variety of meats along with other food-filled jars. Also, these particular tombs
contained animal and human sacrifices. The animal sacrifices consisted of mostly sheep and
2
Robert Bianchi, Daily Life of the Nubians, (Greenwood Press, 1943), 76
3
Education Development Center, Inc., "Kerma, Kush and the First Nubian Empire (ca. 2000-1480 BC)." Last modified 2001.
Accessed November 18, 2012. http://www.nubianet.org/about/about_history4.html
4
The Global Egyptian Museum, "Kerma." Accessed November 17, 2012.
http://www.globalegyptianmuseum.org/glossary.aspx?id=207
5
Omer, ."Burials- Kerma." Last modified 2009. Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://www.ancientsudan.org/burials_03_kerma.htm
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goats. In some of the graves that the deceased males occupied, there were daggers placed in their
possession, specifically in their belts. In the Classic Kerma period, there is greater evidence of
Nubia’s elite social class and the kings. The Nubian culture is different from many cultures due
to the fact that there are no known leaders from this time period. Even though, the names and
history of these kings are unknown, based on their tombs, it can be determined that they were
very well respected. The mounds that were built for these graves were near the size of a football
field. Inside the graves, the kings were laid out on actual beds. Along with the body of the king,
there were, sometimes, hundreds of human sacrifices placed around the king’s bed.6 The vast
amount of humans sacrificed to be with the king in the afterlife suggests how much of an
importance was placed on their royalty. The burial process and the detail that was put into the
tombs allow people to better understand the Kerma culture. Though agriculture and animal
husbandry was very important to the culture, Kerma thrived by trading goods such as gold,
incense, ivory, ebony, as well as animals. These goods that were traded between Kerma and
Egypt helped Egypt to gain much of its wealth because these trade routes allowed Egypt to
develop relationships with various other parts of Africa.7 The Nile River was very important to
the Kush by making trade with other parts of Africa more convenient. The Nubian civilization
was very significant and even affected the Egyptians. Since Egypt and Nubia were so closely
connected, many aspects of the Nubian culture can be associated with the Egyptian culture.
However, Egypt began to feel threatened by this developing culture and over-threw the Kush in
1,500 B.C.E.8 Though there is very little written proof of the Nubian civilization, the tombs and
the artifacts found inside the tombs provide for a better comprehension of how this culture
6
Robert Bianchi, Daily Life of the Nubians, (Greenwood Press, 1943), 76-82.
7
"Nubia Through the Ages." Last modified 2011. Accessed October 28,
2012.http://www.touregypt.net/historicalessays/nubiac1.htm
8
Timothy Kendall, Kerma and the Kingdom of Kush, 2500-1500 B.C, (National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian
Institution, 1997
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operated and thrived. The Kerma culture is a very important part of the ancient Nubian
civilization.
The religion of the Nubian civilization is closely related to the burial and funeral aspect
of the culture. Even though the religion that the Nubian people practiced is unclear, the religion
is identified through the artifacts found in the graves. Also, many components of the Nubian
religion were influenced by the Egyptian religion. It can be implied that Nubia practiced a
polytheistic faith since this civilization was so closely related with Egypt and had many of the
same principles. It is obvious that the Nubians believed in an afterlife due to the fact the dead
were buried with so many goods, such as food and weapons. In addition, temples were very
significant in Kerma. The most popular temple in the Kerma civilization was the Western
Deffufa. It is believed that the main purpose of this temple was for worship and, or, sacrifices.
Another important temple was the Eastern Deffufa. The purpose of this temple was to worship
and pay respect to the deceased kings as well as to prepare them for burials. Worship is a very
essential aspect of religion. In most of the royal tombs, there were large ship models made of
stone that were placed near the dead body. This suggests that the ships would carry the kings on
the river in the afterlife.9 Also, when the tombs of the kings were found, there were also bodies
of many other individuals as well. It considered that the persons sacrificed in conjunction with
the kings, or the persons of a higher rank, were slaves and servants. The Nubians “believed in an
afterlife, where the gods would sometimes require the deceased to do hard labor. Thus,
sacrificing servants and slaves was considered a way for helping the deceased do this hard
labor.10” Many of the religious aspects were influenced by Egypt so much of the Nubian religion
9
Education Development Center, Inc., "Kerma, Kush and the First Nubian Empire (ca. 2000-1480 BC)." Last modified 2001.
Accessed November 18, 2012. http://www.nubianet.org/about/about_history4.html
10
Omer, . "Burials- Kerma." Last modified 2009. Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://www.ancientsudan.org/burials_03_kerma.htm
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Cynthia Smith
is unknown. However, the Nubians had a strong belief in the afterlife due to the artifacts
discovered in the tombs of the deceased.
There is very little of information documented about the gender roles of the Nubian
people. From various art works, such as sculptures and paintings, it can be assumed that the
warriors were mostly men and the servants were mostly women. In the tombs in which there
were people sacrificed, there were mostly women and children. This suggests that most of the
king’s servants and slaves were women. According to Nawal Ammar, it was very customary that
the men went out to look for jobs while the women stayed home to complete most of the
domestic tasks. These tasks included working the farmland, taking care of the animals and any
others domestic chores that needed to be completed.11 Though the gender roles may not be very
clear, the social status and occupations are well defined. At the top of the social ladder are the
royal family and the high priests. In the middle of the social ladder are the soldiers, merchants,
artisans and blacksmiths. The kings of Egypt “often hired the renowned archers of Nubia for
their armies.12” Along with being trading partners with Egypt, Nubia also aided the Egyptian
armies by sending their men to help fight in battles. The last group of people to be recognized in
the Nubian society is the servants and slaves. Along with raising cattle, the Nubian people also
were farmers and cultivated land. Wheat and barley were among the most important crops.13
Unfortunately, there is very little evidence depicting the gender roles of the Nubian people.
Nevertheless, there is just amount of information to get a small glimpse into the everyday life on
the Nubian citizens.
11
Ammar, Nawal, ed. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 1996. s.v. "Nubians."
"The Relationships Between The Nubians & Ancient Egyptians." Last modified 2011. Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread774094/pg1.
13
Hays, . "Nubia and Nubians." Last modified 2008. Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://factsanddetails.com/world.php?itemid=1975
12
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Cynthia Smith
Due to the fact that the ancient Nubian civilization was almost lost, there is much
uncertainty of how this culture has influenced today’s society. However, many of the Nubian
principles have been spread throughout the African continent, somehow and someway. It is
believed that after Egypt completely conquered Nubia, some of the people scattered to different
areas of Africa. The sub-cultures and the religion are two of the only aspects of the Nubian
civilization that has a substantial amount of evidence. The Nubian people were very religious
and it is indicated that their afterlife was very important based on their burial rituals for the
deceased. Since ancient Nubia had no writing system, it is beyond difficult to find an extensive
amount of information on this specific civilization. Much of the history regarding ancient Nubia
stems from the excavations of tombs, discovered pottery and the written documentations from
the Egyptians. Without any of these sources to speak for the lost world, the Nubian civilization
would have vanished forever.
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References:
Ammar, Nawal, ed. Encyclopedia of World Cultures. 1996. s.v. "Nubians."
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Nubia.aspx
Bianchi, Robert. Daily Life of the Nubians. Greenwood Press, 1943.
Education Development Center, Inc., "Kerma, Kush and the First Nubian Empire (ca. 2000-1480
BC)." Last modified 2001. Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://www.nubianet.org/about/about_history4.html.
Hays, . "Nubia and Nubians." Last modified 2008. Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://factsanddetails.com/world.php?itemid=1975
Kendall, Timothy. Kerma and the Kingdom of Kush, 2500-1500 B.C. National Museum of
African Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1997.
"Nubia Through the Ages." Last modified 2011. Accessed October 28,
2012.http://www.touregypt.net/historicalessays/nubiac1.htm.
Omer, . "Burials- Kerma." Last modified 2009. Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://www.ancientsudan.org/burials_03_kerma.htm.
The Global Egyptian Museum, "Kerma." Accessed November 17, 2012.
http://www.globalegyptianmuseum.org/glossary.aspx?id=207.
"The Relationships Between The Nubians & Ancient Egyptians." Last modified 2011.
Accessed November 18, 2012.
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread774094/pg1.
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