Nubia, a Brief Introduction

Abstract Nubia has emerged as an independent field of study partly because of dam projects that flooded long reaches of the Nile valley and adjacent deserts. The region itself includes the Nile Valley in Egypt and Sudan, from the First Cataract at Aswan to the confluence of the Blue and White Niles at Khartoum, as well as adjacent deserts. This vast area incorporates many regions, peoples, and languages, notably Nubian and Eastern Desert Bedja. Historically, the volume presents three Nubias: Islamic Nubia from the 15th century, Christian Nubia from the 6th century CE, and ancient Nubia, which centered for almost three millennia on Kush, but always encompassing diverse languages and cultures. From early times, relations with Egypt were important and sometimes decisive. Beginning with the geological and physical environment, the volume presents both narrative and topical chapters that reflect the complex developments in Nubian history and culture.