History Blog : Nubia

Nubia is the land south of Egypt; it occupied the area that today lies in Sudan and Ethiopia. They were also known as Kush, and Greeks and Romans referred to the land as “Aethiopia” which mean “land of burnt faces.” Around 3100 B.C.E., Nubia united into a central powerful kingdom. But for the most party Nubia was ruled by the Egyptians, they served as their slaves and as their soldiers in the army. But during the 25^th dynasty they see a dramatic turnaround as the Nubian pharaohs ruled Egypt. They ruled Lower Egypt and extended all the way to the Nile delta.

Nubia’s most natural resources where metal. They help the Egyptians desire for gold and they relied upon the Nubians for their knowledge of iron metallurgy. During the 25^th dynasty the wanted to make sure that Napata (capital of Nubia) was architecturally worth to rule Egypt. Beginning in the 730 B.C.E., they built an Egyptian- style pylon temple, the Temple of Amun. Nubian pyramids are smaller in scale compared the Egyptians and are characterized by a steep rake, and in front of the steep pyramids is a pylon porch. The tombs with pyramidal form and pylon entrances were carved in low relief; which means that the depth of the carving is shallow. The bodies of the Nubian statues typically displayed a strong physical appearance unlike the Egyptians, which have a slimmer profile. When it came to making public gestures, such as temples, tombs, and sculptures of their rules Nubians used Egyptians work as inspiration.

Still to this day in Egypt, Nubians still remain a prominent ethnic group. Nubians are Sunni Muslims who believe in one God and his Prophet Mohammed, in the angels created by God, in the prophets through whom his revelations were brought to humankind, in the Day of Judgment and individual accountability for actions, in God s complete authority over human destiny, and in life after death. They also follow the Ibadat, or practicing framework of the Muslim's life: the Five Pillars. In Islam there is no hierarchal authority, no priest.

Nubian pyramids-