Lost Kingdoms of Africa – Nubia

BBC (2013)

Film Review

For thousands of years Nubia, the traditional name for northern Sudan, dominated the region now known as the eastern Sahara (at the time the Sahara desert was still lush grass lands fed by Nile tributaries). A source of slaves, dancing girls and wrestlers for both the Egyptian and the Roman empire, Nubia built more pyramids than Egypt.

With no written language, Nubian culture dates back to 5,000 BC. The earliest Nubian rock gong (archeologists have found hundreds)* dates back 7,000 years, and archeologists have found hundreds of them. Nubia also has the earliest pottery in Africa, which predates the appearance of agriculture.

Nubian rock drawings of cattle from 5,000-6,000 BC were discovered in 2012. The region is also home to the oldest mud brick building in Africa, dating from 2,000 BC. Built of solid mud, it forms the base of a temple and is surrounded by palaces for royalty or priests. Archeologists have also discovered a giant funeral mound 100 meters across containing 300 victims of human sacrifice. It’s believed they were intended as retainers for a Nubian king in the afterlife. Five thousand cattle skulls are found on the edge of the mound, also intended to accompany the king in the afterlife. The adjacent cemetery is 10,000 years old and contains 30,000 graves.

The first Egyptian conquest of Nubia (which the Egyptians called Kush) occurred in 1500 BC. Following their defeat, the Nubians were required to pay tribute in the form of gold, cattle, ivory, monkeys and skins. The Egyptians also forcibly imported** Nubian wrestlers for entertainment. The Egyptians eventually claimed an enormous rock outcrop in northern Nubia  as an Egyptian holy site. Taking the shape of a cobra with a crown (a sign of Egyptian royalty), it’s called Jebel Barkel.

Nubia’s colonial status continued until 754 BC, when a Nubian pharaoh seized the Egyptian throne. Nubians (referred to as the “Black Pharaohs”) ruled Egypt as the 25th Dynasty until 656 BC.

The Nubians established the first iron industry in Africa around 800 BC (around the same time it appeared in Britain). Writing had appeared by the 2nd century BC, although the Nubian language has yet to be deciphered.

*A rock gong is a natural rock formation opportunistically adapted to produce musical tones. Archeologists believe it performed the same function as drum language.

**In the Nubian language “nuba” means slave.

***By 700 BC, there’s clear evidence in the archeological record that the Sahara Desert was encroaching on Nubian pastoral land.