As Nubia had no written language until fairly late in history (and we have yet to fully decipher the Meroitic language) most of our information come from written sources from Egypt and from archaeological research in Egypt and the territory of Nubia.
Most discussions of the history of Nubia begin with the A-Group, though there is clear evidence of earlier human populations in Nubia. The A-Group culture appeared sometime around 3800 BC and was in trading contact with the late Predynastic Egyptian state of the same period. A-Group ceramics are fairly famous for their beauty and delicacy. They are frequently very thin, fine handmade vessels with a red body and black top. Incised decoration is also used. The decline of the A-Group is unclear - some scholars have suggested that the area was depopulated by early military expansions by the Egyptian state, others suggest an ecological or political collapse in Nubia leading to the adoption of a more nomadic lifestyle for a period of time.
By the 6th Dynasty of the Egyptian Old Kingdom settlement seems to have revived in Nubia. This period is referred to as the C-Group. Nubia was split into a series of kingdoms or chiefdoms, though they shared some common elements of material culture. The names of some of these kingdoms include Yam, Iret, and Wawat. Trade with Egypt was vigorous, but there does not seem to have been heavy military control or invasion by the Egyptians.
Contemporary with the C-Group is another Nubian group called the Pan-Grave people who were probably nomadic herdsmen. They interacted with both the C-Group people and the Egyptians and some settled in or were at least buried in Egypt. They were also hired as mercenaries by Egyptians. C-Group people also served as mercenaries in Egypt.
Also roughly contemporaneous but further to the south was the Kerma culture, named for the eventual capital of the Kerma kingdom. The Kerma kingdom became a threat to the early 18th Dynasty and the capital was destroyed by the Egyptians, leading to a decline.
During the New Kingdom Nubia became Egyptianized, adopting Egyptian culture and being occupied by Egyptian forces. A number of Egyptian temples were constructed in Nubia by various Egyptian kings at places like Gebel Barkal, Soleb, and Abu Simbel.
After the decline of the New Kingdom, direct Egyptian influence in Nubia began to wane, leading to the rise of the Kushite kingdom at Napata. Eventually, the Napatans grew strong enough to invade Egypt and ruled Egypt for a few generations as the 25th Dynasty before being forced out by the Assyrians. The Kushite kingdom remained strong in Nubia, however, and lasted for several more centuries, eventually moving their capital further south to Meroe.
Nubia was significant as a source of gold, ivory, slaves, and other "exotic" items as well as a a waypoint for trade goods coming from further south in sub-Saharan Africa and from the eastern coast of Africa. Relations with Egypt were sometimes based entirely on trade and at other times based on military domination by Egypt, especially from the Middle Kingdom onward until the end of the New Kingdom. Nubians were renowned by the Egyptian for their skills as bowmen and warriors in general and were often employed as mercenaries.
While earlier scholars were disinclined to study ancient Nubia except as a footnote to Egyptian history, this has changed in recent years. While a basic chronological framework derived in reference to Egyptian political history is often used, and we still rely on Egyptian sources for a great deal of information, the indigenous culture of Nubia is being increasingly studied and understood on its own terms. Nubians should not be characterized as simply "copying" earlier Egyptian examples, but can be seen as adopting some elements of Egyptian culture and adapting and changing those elements for their own use.
2006-12-26 11:11:37
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answer #1
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answered by F 5
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The nubians lived in the land to the south of Egypt and were controlled throughout most of ancient history by the egyptian pharoahs.
Economically they were important as a source of gold and ivory as trade routes to Egypt came through their land.
In the 1960s when the High Dam at Aswan was built they lost much of their land under the waters of Lake Nasser so their separate identity and culture has been much weaker since then with many nubians being resettled in Egypt.
2006-12-25 18:08:38
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answer #2
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answered by brainstorm 7
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The Nubians are an ethnic group in Egypt and Sudan. There are more Nubians in Sudan than in Egypt and their socio-economic status is better in Sudan than in Egypt. Their language, which is divided into two main branches, is called Nobiin, and they are descended from the ancient Nubians. Ancient Nubians many times have invaded and controlled Egypt. The inverse is also true, as there have been long periods of time in which Egypt has controlled and collected taxes from Nubia. In armed conflict, Nubian archers were regarded as the most skilled and dangerous warriors. Nubia and Egypt, although distinct empires, shared the same religion in the past. The Nubian Tribes in Sudan habitat the region between Halfa in the North to north Aldaba in the south. The main Nubian tribes are from north to south are: Halfaweyen, Sikut, Mahas and Danagla, they speak different dialect of the nubian language.
2006-12-25 13:51:29
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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2016-12-18 19:04:42
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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