AMARA West, at least during the Nineteenth Dynasty
(1307–1196 B.C.E.). The fortresses and garrisons were
under a single commander, assisted by the usual assort-
ment of Egyptian officials, scribes, bureaucrats, and
agents.
Nubia was not occupied during the Third Intermedi-
ate Period (1070–712 B.C.E.), as the Egyptians were pre-
occupied with their own internal problems. During the
reign of SHOSHENQ I(945–924 B.C.E.) of the Twenty-sec-
ond Dynasty, Egypt traded with the Nubians, but few
rulers could muster enough forces to control the tradi-
tional fortresses or trade stations. By 770–750 B.C.E., the
Nubians had made inroads into the Theban nomes, and
in 750 B.C.E., PIANKHI(1) led an army into Egypt to
restore the Amunite temples and religious fervor.
The Twenty-fifth Dynasty (712–657 B.C.E.) was
Nubian, but these rulers faced an Assyrian invasion and
could not maintain their hold on the land. The MEROË
culture then emerged, but lasted only until 350 C.E. This
kingdom was relatively free of contact with others, being
willing and able to do battle to halt the advances of con-
querors. The Romans found them to be formidable foes at
ASWANin 24 B.C.E.
The Meroë culture included modern Sudan and
established trade relationships with other cultures, both
on the Nile and on the Red Sea. In time, after a revival of
arts and architecture, a period of extensive pyramid con-
struction was conducted at Meroë. The reliefs and artistic
projects of this culture demonstrate skills and a thorough
knowledge of the Egyptian canons. In time, Meroë was
beset by tribal assaults and climatic changes, bringing
about its collapse and the introduction of other influ-
ences.
Suggested Readings:Burstein, Stanley Mayer, ed. Ancient
African Civilizations: Kush and Axum.New York: Markus
Wiener Publisher, 2001; Kendall, Timothy. Kerma and the
Kingdom of Kush, 2500–1500 B.C.: The Archaeological Dis-
covery of an Ancient Nubian Empire.Washington, D.C.:
National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institu-
tion, 1999; Mann, Kenny. Egypt, Kush, Aksun: Northeast
Africa. Silver Burdett Press, 1996; O’Connor, David.
Ancient Nubia: Egypt’s Rival in Africa.University Museum
of Archaeology and Anthropology, 1994; Russman, Edna.
Nubian Kingdoms.New York: Watts Franklin, 1999; Shin-
nie, Peter L. Ancient Nubia.New York: Routledge, 1995;
Wallis Budge, E. A. A History of Ethiopia: Nubia and
Abyssinia.ECA Associates, 1995.
Nubian Desert An arid stretch in northern Sudan,
called also NUBIAor Kush by the Egyptians, the Arabic
names are As-sahura or An-nubiya. South of Egypt, the
desert stretches from the Nile to the Red Sea. It is a
rugged region, with dunes, rocky areas, and uplands. The
Nubian Desert was formed into a sandstone plateau with
wadis and streams. The desert was always formidable, but
trade caravans used the area in many historical periods.Nubkhas (1)(fl. 21st century B.C.E.) Royal woman of
the Eleventh Dynasty
A consort of MONTUHOTEP II (r. 2061–2010 B.C.E.),
Nubkhas was buried in DEIR EL-BAHRInear the great mor-
tuary complex of Montuhotep II. Her tomb was sur-
rounded with masonry and enclosed with boulders and
rubble.Nubkhas (2)(fl. 17th century B.C.E.)Royal woman of
the Seventeenth Dynasty
A lesser consort of SOBEKEMSAF I(r. c. 1640 B.C.E.),
Nubkhas was buried in the tomb of Sobekemsaf III at
THEBES. Sobekemsaf I’s burial site was vandalized by
thieves, but Nubkhas’s mummified remains were not dis-
turbed because her burial chamber was separate and
securely hidden.Nubkheshed (1)(fl. 12th century B.C.E.) Royal woman
of the Twentieth Dynasty
She was a consort of RAMESSES V(r. 1156–1151 B.C.E.)
and perhaps the mother of NUBKHESHED(2).Nubkheshed (2)(fl. 12th century B.C.E.) Royal woman
of the Twentieth Dynasty
She was the consort of RAMESSES VI(r. 1151–1143 B.C.E.).
Nubkheshed was the mother of RAMESSES VIIand his
brothers, including Prince Amenhirkhopshef. Nubkhe-
shed also bore Princess Iset.Nubti An ancient name for the god SET in Upper
Egypt, he was depicted as possessing one body and two
heads in this form.Nun The Egyptian god of the formless chaos or the
watery abyss, which held the PRIMEVAL MOUNDout of
which the god ATUM(a form of RÉ) rose in cosmogonic
traditions, Nun existed before the heaven and earth came
into being. When the world was created, Nun moved to
the edges of the universe, and there he signified the
depths of the netherworld. He is depicted as a bearded
individual on a solar bark.
As part of the OGDOADof HELIOPOLIS, Nun was por-
trayed as a human with a head of a FROGor with the head
of an ox, with ostrich feathers as a crown. One ancient
relief shows Nun spitting out the northern and southern
Niles. He could be found in deep wells or in caverns and
was associated with the Nile inundation. He also had a
role in the cults of PTAHand TATENEN.nunu (nunn-nu) The Egyptian name for the great
watery abyss that existed before the creation, also called282 Nubian Desert