Rulers of Ancient Nubia

Black Pharaohs Rulers of Ancient Nubia by Thomas Kummert www.ancient-cultures.info Everybody has heard of and many even Those few who really will venture into visited the massive pyramids and incredible Sudan, will find themselves travelling rather royal tombs of the legendary Egyptian alone a thousand kilometers all the way down Pharaoh’s. But who has ever heard of Black the Nile from the confluence of the White and Pharaohs? Well … possibly only a few ancient Blue Nile at Khartoum towards the Egyptian history aficionados. border. But of those who read about these intriguing And the unquestioned acceptance of pharaohs, did they really take the trouble to low comfort travel will definitely be highly travel along the five Nile cataracts to visit the rewarded. Yes you will be really stunned numerous necropolis of the ancient Nubian and completely surprised. Because you will Kingdoms with over 300 pyramids? And let me find out, that there are many more pyramids tell you, there are many more pyramids across in modern day Sudan, than in the famous Nubia or Kush as the Egyptians called it. ancient Egyptian Empire. Amun Re temple at Soleb in northern Sudan built by pharaoh Amenhotep III in Nubia Yes these Nubian pyramids are much smaller, Egypt-Nubian History but nevertheless really worth visiting, due to their There are only a few references in Egyptian amazing set-up. They were erected in long lines annals, which mention the existence of ancient and groups in vast sandy fields close to the various Nubian kingdoms. About 5,000 years ago Pharaoh ancient Nubian capitals along the Nile. Djer, ruler of the First Egyptian Dynasty, is reported to have conquered the southern Kush Kingdom. Soleb Temple Kush was the Egyptian name for Nubia, which This ancient site is one of the most northern is the regional name for northern Sudan and the Temple sites in modern day Sudan. Here Egyptian dark skinned population living there. Egyptians Pharaoh Amenhotep III. built during the Armana called Nubians nehasi in their language. Period of the 18th Dynasty a temple consecrated to sun god Amun Re. This most southern temple And about 500 years later famous Pharaoh in the Egyptian Empire was erected by his son Snofru attacked Kush again and it is reported Hapu. meticulously, that he took 7.000 prisoners men and women plus 200.000 heads of cattle and At Sedeinga he also constructed a companion sheep. temple for Queen Tiye, which unfortunately is very much destroyed. Of the Soleb Temple only a few Snofru was the only pharaoh, who built three columns are still standing or have been re-erected huge pyramids. One of the famous two at Giza to give visitors a bit of an impression, how the and two further south at Dahshur. He also started temple must have looked like. to build numerous mini pyramids across his vast empire to demonstrate his First Pre-historic Traces power. It is not surprising that in the vicinity of Nubia’s first capital Egyptian Records Kerma, the first human traces We know that Egyptian’s were discovered. These date were famous for keeping back to over 1,6 million years very detailed records. But ago and belong to our anchestor what does this tell us? homo habilis. Certainly that the Kushite rulers in the south became Also close to Kerma in Wadi a thread to the mighty El Arab a pre-historic settlement Egyptian Empire and was found and dated to 8,300 started to attack it. BC. Another ancient neolithic settlement site called El Barga One discovery is very could be dated to 7,500 BC. It interesting. Just consider was inhabited for over 2,000 this remarkable symbolism. years scientists could establish Tutanchamun sandals by studying the two ad joint found in his tomb were cemeteries they discovered. papayrus bundle columns at Soleb decorated with two dark 2 skinned figures believed to be Kushite rulers. This is a clear sign of Egyptian superiority. Treating your enemies with your feet and showing them your soles, is a huge insult and sign of ultimate submission. Was it a love hate relationship with Nubia? Possibly both depending on changing luck of each other’s military campaigns. Certainly it was also a great portion of wishful thinking. As we later find out, Nubians conquered and ruled Egypt for over 100 years. partly sand covered Meroe pyramid Ongoing Military Campaigns Another 500 years later about 1,500 BC Pharaoh Thutmosis I. passed with his army and ships the third cataract, which until then, was a natural defense line for Nubians. Now he could conquer the Kushite capital Kerma and the surrounding fertile Dongola area. The Egyptian Empire herewith controlled Nubia up to forth cataract. Then again in 591 BC Pharaoh Psammettich II. attacked Nubia and the capital Napata was moved 500 km further south and up the Nile to Meroe. Egyptians had no name for the Nile and just called it river iteru, as there was only one river in the whole had larger pyramids a flat top? world. scientists are not certain about that At that time Greek historian Herodot named black Nubians as Ethiopians or “sun burned” and described them as rich, beautiful, strong, long living in a land full of wonders. And he was right with his description of the Nubian people, their way of life and culture. Egyptian Influence Let’s take a step back and investigate how the Nubian Culture could develop to such a sophisticated level. Definitely they learned and copied a lot if not everything from the Egyptians. Recent research pyramids with pylon shape sacrifice chapel smaller pyramids were plastered & painted is telling us, that Kushite art was influenced by Egyptian Culture. But it had its own identity with a very specific Nubian character and originality. They produced a fine ceramic, not by wheel like in Egypt, but by hand. Actually all jewelry and art was locally produced. So Nubia took advantage of Egyptian technology and advancement and adopted it, but gave it their own style. How did Egyptian influence work and was accepted? Wealthy and fertile Egypt either drew immigrants as workers, and or the powerful empire took prisoners as slaves. We further know that Nubians like Libyans made up a huge part of the good example of mudbrick pyramid ever growing Egyptian army. with plastered surface & chapel in front 3 Libyans had no life supporting Nubians also believed strongly The new Nubian empire now river, but Nubians were much in a life after death and therefore stretched from Thebes to the more closely linked through the copied nearly all Egyptian burial sixth cataract at the confluence Nile with Egypt. As we later see, of the White and Blue Nile, where this had an enormous effect on today the Sudanese capital Nubian architecture, religion and Khartoum lies. their culture as a whole. Another important indication One should not speak about of Nubian rule in Upper Egypt the Egyptian influence, but better is, that the High Priestess of of the totally entwined cultures, Thebes carrying the god like even if their character and nature title of “Amun’s wife” made were so different. Nubians were Kashta’s daughter Amenerdis much more African, a nature her successor. Now Nubia which really was absent from also controlled the powerful Egyptian thinking and culture. priesthood, which often stood in competition with the royal court. Economic Success Nubia actually gained influence Black Pharaohs and wealth as important Musawarat rare elephant figure Six black pharaohs ruled Egypt intermediary of significant for 125 years until 655 BC. Their Egyptian trade with Africa. This rituals. It is also no wonder, that rule is today classified as the trade included vast amounts Nubians worshipped certain 25th Egyptian Dynasty during the of valuable timber, specific Egyptian gods more than so-called Third Interim Period in stones for huge sculptured Egyptians did themselves. Egyptian history. Even if they had statues, various oils, important themselves depicted on temple frankincense, ostrich feathers That made them fully accepted walls in full Egyptian ornate, and elephant ivory. by Egyptians, very much so, that they were proud enough to show Nubians were even appointed distinctive Nubian attributes. Gold and precious stone were Egyptian vice-kings in Nubia. also on the trading list. Wild They resided in Aniba between First they carried two golden animals such as lions, apes and the first and second cataract uraeus snakes on their fore later elephants, plus a large close to the famous Abu Simbel head to demonstrate they were variety of wild hides. Not to site. rulers of Egypt and Nubia. Then forget the important slave trade there was the distinctive Nubian already existing at that time. But Rise of Nubia cap, ear rings and a neck band surprisingly Nubia had no own Finally in 780 BC Nubia decorated with a ram head. One coinage. became independent, when item they did never wear, it was Egypt struggled with wide spread the Egyptian ceremonial beard. Egyptian Inspiration internal conflict. This weakened Therefore it is not surprising, Egypt so much, that Nubian The last black pharaoh that despite having their Tanwetamani, a nephew independent culture, of famous Nubian King Nubia got inspired by Tarhaqa, escaped Egyptian life style and Assyrian attack on Egypt religion including the and fled back to Nubia. typical pyramid burials. Other Foreign Rulers Interestingly though, But Nubians were not that Nubians started to the only foreign rulers in build pyramids, when 4,000 years of the mighty Egyptians had stopped Egyptian Empire’s history. around 2.000 BC and ram sphinx lined alley at Naqa The provenance of the changed to underground Hykos rulers is still not burials with complex chamber King Kashta took advantage and fully certain.

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