Revising Egypto-Nubian Relations in New Kingdom Lower Nubia: From Egyptianization to Cultural Entanglement
Abstract
Building on recent criticisms of Romanization, this contribution formulates a systematic critique of the concept of Egyptianization and suggests a different theoretical approach to cultural process in New Kingdom Nubia that benefits from the insights of ‘cultural entanglement’. This approach emphasizes multidirectional and interactive perspectives that allow for a variety of acculturative outcomes rather than one-sided assimilation. A useful epistemological framework for its application in archaeology is illustrated through two case studies, focusing respectively on representations of Egyptianized Nubians in Egyptian art and Lower Nubian burial customs. The outcomes of the case studies argue for a provocative re-reading of cultural process in New Kingdom Lower Nubia, and may help to clarify the general picture of Nubian history by explaining why and how Nubian traits re-appeared in the Napatan-Meroitic Kingdom of Kush. Finally, the article considers some broader methodological and theoretical issues relating to cultural mixture in the archaeological record.
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Throughout Pharaonic history there was intense interaction between Egypt and Nubia, ranging from trade to conquest and colonialism, and there is compelling evidence for ethnic complexity within households with Egyptian men marrying Nubian women and vice versa.
“Throughout Pharaonic history there was intense interaction between Egypt and Nubia, ranging from trade to conquest and colonialism, and there is compelling evidence for ethnic complexity within households with Egyptian men marrying Nubian women and vice versa515253.”
From Ancient Egyptian mummy genomes suggest an increase of Sub-Saharan African ancestry in post-Roman periods (2017) · cites this paper as [53]
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Schuenemann, V. J., Peltzer, A., Welte, B., van Pelt, W. P., Molak, M., Wang, C.-C., Furtwängler, A., Urban, C., Reiter, E., Nieselt, K., et al. (2017) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/ncomms15694 · Cited by 201 · see citing works
- Authors
- van Pelt, W. P.
- Venue
- Cambridge Archaeological Journal
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2013-10
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 523-550
- ISSN
- 0959-7743 (ISSN-L)
- 1474-0540
- OpenAlex
- W2165132440
- Cited by
- 76
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 7.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cambridge Archaeological Journal (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Ancient Egypt and Archaeology
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Classical Antiquity Studies
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › African Studies and Geopolitics
- Keywords
- Egyptianization, cultural entanglement, cultural processes, acculturation, Egyptian art, funerary practices, cultural mixture
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