Hi, I'm Aaron Brody at the Bande Museum at Pacific School of Religion, and I'd like to welcome you to the first in our series of new perspectives on ancient Nubia. But before we get to today's talk, I'd like to introduce Jess Johnson, who is our assistant curator and a graduate student at UC Berkeley. Jess, the floor is yours. Hello, everyone. We would like to start by acknowledging that Berkeley, California is on the territory of the Hoochoon, the ancestral and unceded land of the Torchenio Alloni. We respect the land itself and the people who have stewarded it through many generations, and we honor their elders, both past and present. There is no question that our society is poised at a moment of change.  The Bande Museum of Biblical Archaeology and the Archaeological Research Facility, ARF, at UC Berkeley, wish to acknowledge the pain and outrage for our community members who bear the weight of existing in a society designed to work against them and feel the devastation most keenly. Here at the museum and at ARF, we have been moved by the courage of those who are most deeply affected and the tenacity of those protesting for change. The Bande Museum and ARF stand in solidarity with the African American community. We join you in your calls for justice. Collectively and individually, our staff condemns the police brutality and systematic racism that has long been enacted against the black community and other communities of color. It has persisted for far too long. It has resulted in the unjust and premature ending of lives. So let us say their names. Donna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmed Albury, George Floyd, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, and countless others. Let us as organizations be perfectly clear. Black lives matter. We lend our thoughts and actions to those who every day actively work to make this statement a living, breathing ideal and to those who continually live the reality of racial injustice. Likewise, we lend our expertise to the cause of incorporating BLM sensitive material into our exhibits, our programming and our curriculum. You know very well that this moment has been a long time coming, and we are in the fight for equality, justice, and accountability. Through this lecture series, we aim to raise awareness on Asian Nubia, a vibrant region in Northeast Africa with a rich archaeological and historical legacy. Learning about the ancient peoples of Nubia is one way to dissenter the usual academic focus on Egypt and biblical and classical lands in order to reconceptualize our past. Decolonizing our views of the past as through the research presented in the new perspectives on ancient Nubia series, we hope will lend to a more just and equitable future. Thank you, and enjoy the lecture. Thanks Jess. Now it's my pleasure to introduce Dr. Salim Faraji, who is professor and former chair of Africana studies at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He is the founding executive director of the Masters of Arts and International Studies Africa program at Concordia University, Irvine, located in Ghana, West Africa. He completed his Masters of Divinity at the Claremont School of Theology and MA and PhD at Claremont Graduate University. He is a member of the International Society for Nubian Studies and specializes in early Christian history, Africana and Africanist historiography, Coptic studies, and the curma, nepotene, Maroedic and medieval periods of Nubian history. Dr. Faraji is also a founding member of the Nubian Language Society, and one of a handful of Nubiologists in the United States, and the only Africana studies scholar in the country who is also a Coptic studies specialist. Professor Faraji is a contributor to publications in Romans, barbarians and the transformation of the Roman world, the Encyclopedia of African religions, the Oxford Dictionary of African biography, and as the sole author of his monograph, the roots of Nubian Christianity uncovered, the triumph of the last pharaoh. Today, Dr. Faraji will present the ascendancy of the Kushite Kingdom of curma in the Post-Middle Kingdom era, revisiting the second intermediate period of ancient Egypt. Welcome, Dr. Faraji, and the floor is yours. Good afternoon, everyone, and let me first extend gratitude to the Pacific School of Religion, the Bade Museum, and the Archaeological Research Facility at UC Berkeley for extending this invitation to give this lecture on ancient Nubia. Very quickly, I'm going to pull up my screen here. As Dr. Brody said, the ascendancy of the Kushite Kingdom of curma and the Post-Middle Kingdom era, revisiting the second intermediate period of ancient Egypt. Before we begin, I want to acknowledge the Africana intellectual tradition in the study of Nile Valley civilizations. I also want to thank the organizers of this lecture series for their uncompromising statement in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and solidarity with the movement of Black Lives and solidarity with the indigenous peoples of what we now call California and in solidarity with the decolonizing scholarship in research, in particular in Egyptology, Nubiology, and other disciplines. Let me just say, very quickly, two years ago, the former president of the African Studies Association, which is an international organization of Africanist scholars. Dr. Jean Allman gave a presidential lecture in 2018. In that presidential lecture, she emphatically made it clear that African American scholars and other scholars of the African diaspora were and are the founders of African studies in the United States. She even suggested that the famous Herkowitz Award, which is a prestigious award in the African Studies Association, be renamed to a prominent African American intellectual by the name of Dr. William Leo Hansberg. Not only that, even in the discipline of Egyptology, my colleague Dr. Vanessa Davies is also doing work looking at the Africana or the African American intellectual tradition and its contributions to the discipline of Egyptology. So here I'm acknowledging the pioneers in the Africana intellectual tradition as a way for us to think about parallel traditions and parallel perspectives and viewpoints that have always existed side by side with traditional, quote, unquote, establishment disciplines. So here we see the original cover of a publication, Now Valley Civilizations, edited by Dr. Ivan Van Serterman, prominent Africanist and anthropologist, scholar of antiquity, originally from Guyana in South America, I'm sorry. And this, this proceedings was a part of the Now Valley Civilizations proceedings conference in Atlanta, September 26 to the 30th 1984, a preeminent Now Valley conference hosted by African American and African diaspora scholars. And earlier that year in February 1984 in Southern California in Los Angeles, an organization called the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations was also founded in the same year, and established the first annual ancient Egyptian Studies conference. ASCAC is an organization that still is in existence, and is still active and committed to scholarship in the ancient Now Valley, Egypt, Sudan, as well as the Horn of Africa as well, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and so forth. So these are scholars, just very quick I think it's appropriate to say their names. In the early 19th century, scholars of the African diaspora and African Americans have always had an interest in the Now Valley. The Martin Delaney, Edward Wilman Blighton, George Washington Williams, Anthony Irferman, Drissela Dungey Houston, WB Du Bois, William Leo Hansberry, Carter G. And John Henry Clark, Shetkat Jyap, Piafelo Banga, Jigga Carruthers, Milana Carranga, Renoko Rashidi, Charles Finch, Ivan Van Sertima, Yosef Benchakannon, among many others. So I think it's important for me to establish that the presentation that you all will see this afternoon. I'm indebted to this intellectual tradition. Many of these scholars, not all of them have passed. Some of them are still alive, especially the latter ones I named, and I have been mentored and guided by many of these scholars in my study of ancient Now Valley civilizations. I would like for us to actually begin at the end, so to speak. I'm looking at the role of ancient Kush, herma civilization, and ancient Nubia in general, and the influence of the Now Valley between the 13th and 17th Dynasties, the second intermediate period, in particular, in ancient Egyptian history. But actually what I will cover will actually extend really from the first intermediate period, really up until the second intermediate period. And I use this particular slide as a way for us to begin to look at some of the themes that were going on in Now Valley history at this particular time, certainly the rise of ancient Kush and ancient You know, we have, as of late, heard notions of Nubian or black pharaohs or black pharaohs in the 25th dynasty of ancient Egypt, or somehow ancient Egypt was a civilization that was not African meaning not black and then somehow the Nubians were a black civilization we're going to flush all that out this afternoon. But also the notion that the only time, which, which, which is a era of the misperception, but the only time that that Nubians or the Kushites came to prominence in the Now Valley was a 25th dynasty of ancient Egypt. But what we will see this afternoon is that the karma kingdom, basically, the karma kingdom from a period of 2500 BCE to 1500 BCE was a prominent power in the Now Valley that contended with Egypt, and for a short time held sway over over Egypt as well. So we look at this particular inscription so about knock of the 17th Dynasty 17 Dynasty is late second intermediate period, also at the very beginning of what will become the new kingdom. So about knock is a local governor of a town called El Cobb in the Egyptian language is neck have an upper Egypt. The patron deity or goddess of this particular city was the goddess neck of back. We will see that in these tunes. This particular image of so but not painted to was was discovered by British Egyptologist William Vivian Davies. It's dated to around 1575 to 1515 BC. This was a crucial transitional period in Egypt's history. When a native dynasty center that feeds in upper Egypt was engaged in a war of independence against a foreign cannonite dynasty to so called Ixos or hecka casu, who were based at average in the now delta and control lower Egypt. Only a handful of these type of tombs have survived. And so but not to is the best preserved. In 2003, London Times The Times put out this controversial and sensational headline in the UK in the newspaper to reveals ancient Egypt's humiliating secret. And what was this humiliating secret that had been hidden from us or concealed and so forth. Our correspondence report on how details of a crushing defeat by another now superpower was kept hidden. Who was this other now superpower that so but not had talked about. He left his inscription in his tomb of his battles against the Kushite kingdom but not only Kushite kingdom but a Kushite Alliance in Federation. He says listen, you who are live upon the earth. While Kush came aroused along his length. He had he having stirred up the tribes of WoWats that is lower Nubia, the island dwellers of Kentoneffer, Punt and the Magi. The so about not conscription describes a Kushite led alliance that indicates politics from lower Nubia, even as far as Punt, which is believed to be the horn of Africa what is now Eritrea Jamuti Somalia and the Magi people in the eastern desert of the now valley. We must consider the political influence and range of Kush as a formidable power in the now valley that possessed the authority and resources to launch an offensive on Egypt in concert with other regional powers. There's a map of course to the right of the now valley force northern Egypt lower Egypt touching the Mediterranean upper Egypt to the south. Lower Nubia, which borders southern Egypt or upper Egypt. And then of course upper Nubia which is the heart of the Kushite Empire in the region of the fourth and fifth cataracts. I also want to begin with laying out the paradigm and perspective of my approach to the now valley in general and ancient Kush in Nubia and in particular. In Nubia larger perspective or ancient now valley history one that privileges the southern pole of classical now valley civilization, and its historic polity the Kerma Kingdom of Kush contains notions of ancient Egyptian preeminence. Consequently the traditional periodization of the post middle kingdom era, ancient Egyptian history as a second intermediate period by Egyptologists is not only Egyptocentric, but also a totalizing narrative. That discounts the geocultural complexity of the middle now region and the incendancy of Kushite dominance during the 17th and 16th century BCE. So, two things one. I'm deconstructing. And we'll talk about that more even a little later. I'm deconstructing the notion of the second intermediate period, because the second intermediate period, although historically in the 19th century it was viewed as a period of Hexos rule and Hexos domination, especially at average in and in lower Egypt. And at some time it was even called the Hexos period before it was renamed by scholars in the early 20th century the second intermediate period. Yet what I'm contending this afternoon is that the terminology second intermediate period actually suppresses if you will. It makes invisible prominence of ancient Kush, during this particular time and not only ancient Kush, but as the subject knock inscription informs us, there were other prominent players in the now valley such as see group new beans. So people often called the Nehesi, as well as the Magi people. And then we also see that they had contacts as far south and east as point on the Horn of Africa. So there was a complexity of cultures, although Kush was the prominent and certainly the largest state in in the middle now valley at this particular time. And so what I'm suggesting is that we revisit the second intermediate period by highlighting the prominence of Kush, and not using that term to make Kush invisible. I also want us to look at the now valley, of course, not simply around its neighbor to the north ancient Egypt, but also the now valley complex which consisted of ancient Egypt. Also called Kemet, an indigenous language ancient Kush or Nubia, and then certainly even the cultures in the in the in the Horn of Africa. So this is a powerful quote put out by the Oriental Institute, the Nubian expedition, some of the earliest work that was done there in the in the early 60s by Keith Saley. And Dr. Bruce Williams gives us insight to how to approach on the now valley and Kush in particular. We see Egypt as the prominent civilization and then somehow ancient Kush or Nubia is simply a replica, if you will, or an impersonator, or a receiver of traditions from ancient Egypt. Actually, we have two poles we have the northern pole centered in Egypt and then the southern pole. As with the a group before the Kushite. I'm sorry as with the a group before the Kushites held the geographical pivot of northeastern Africa. They mix ideas and materials from the north, Egypt. The east, pan grave and Magi in the south to the West Sudanese to her and traditions. Since no one could pass by them they mediated contacts among these groups. At the same time a group Kushites tradition remained a major center of lower now valley civilization, having a common origin with Egypt in the Kata one, the Kata to these are pre dynastic upper Egyptian polities. The southern group remained more true than Egypt to the archaic heritage that was passed to his descendants at Napata and Meriway. And through modified and though modified by continuing contacts with Egypt was revived in dramatic form by the new bedase in the final pharaonic seminar cemeteries puts tool in Belana. We, we see that ancient Kush represented the southern pole of now valley civilization. And not only that it represented a tradition that maintain archaic now valley traditions not archaic ancient Egyptian traditions, but archaic now valley traditions and practices, which would be manifested differently. In Egypt, as well as in new beer. This is why it is actually more appropriate to talk about the now valley, as opposed to a lopsided asymmetrical analysis that holds Egypt as preeminent and then push as simply a secondary backwater. This perspective allows the two to be what they were rivals contenders and even at other times partners in so forth. Only that we also see a continuity from the a group kingdom of cuts tool in lower new beer, all the way to the a group of the Belana kingdom of the new bedase in the sixth century AD. We have this unbroken continuity from 3100 3200 BCE, all the way into the sixth century AD. This is a tradition that lasted very, very long, even after Egypt was conquered by Persians. The Romans, the Byzantine and even ultimately the Arabs, Kush continue to be an independent power in the now valley and certainly this begins at an early date with a group, as well as karma Kush, as we as we will see. Not not only that not only is Kush, the southern power or southern empire of the now valley. It is also a sudanic Sahelian kingdom. The ancient Kushite culture emerged from with McDonald's labels as a trans-saharan, pastoral techno complex dating between 3800 and 1000 BC. Even within the domain of Nubian studies that ancient karma and its northern counterpart sea group new beer existed in the middle now region from approximately 2500 to 1500 BC, and was contemporary with the old and middle kingdoms of ancient new beer. Yet equally significant the ancient kingdom of karma was also a part of a sudanic Sahelian tradition that extended from the Sudan to Mauritania and West Africa. One of the hallmarks of this expansive cultural complex was the construction of earthen mounds that serve as both ritual centers and royal tombs. These mound tumuli arranged in date from 4000 BC to 500 CE and have been discovered in the regions of what are now Chad, Mali, Niger, southern Algeria, and Ghana. Ancient Kush certainly was a now valley civilization, but it was also part of the Sahel, the Sahel zone, the savannah zone that stretches from Ethiopia and the Sudan, all the way into Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia, Mali, and so forth. And we know this because of the cultural complex that they shared. Here I mentioned the tumuli, tumuli that were built at karma, as well as tumuli being built in Niger, Mali, and as far west as Senegal. But they also shared a ceramic tradition in common as well. So here, we see a map highlighting the Sahel zone. Of course to the right we see the now valley. And then as we move toward the left we move west across Chad, Niger, where you see those spiral circles, those are places where wavy line pottery or dot wavy line pottery. Ceramics were discovered in the Sudan and Sahara belt. So archaeologically, we have at least two traditions, an architectural tradition of tumuli building, and a ceramic tradition of this wavy line pottery that spread across the Sahel zone from the Sudan, all the way into West Africa, and we're substantiating that Kush was also a part of the Saharan and Savannah traditions. The ceramics that were recovered from these sites, they characterize wavy line and dotted wavy line decoration, which form the cornerstone of Mesolithic and Neolithic components along the central Nile across the Sahara and Sahel belt. Not only that they formed a model for cultural uniformity for the Nile Saharan Sahel belt, and they range from the eighth millennium BCE to the fourth millennium BCE. In the Sudan, some of the major sites of the discovery was at cartoon hospital, also known as early cartoon, Shahanab and Elcos. The wavy line and dotted wavy line motifs are widespread in space and time they cover an area from the Red Sea to Mauritania, and from the eastern Sahara to the Savannah and West Africa. Of course they date again from the eighth millennium to the fourth millennium BCE, covering a span of 5300 kilometers east to west and 1500 kilometers north to south. Again an area that covers from Senegal to the Red Sea. Also let me mention very quickly, before I move on to Kutztul and the Kutztul instance burner, is that the, this is actually another project that I'm working on. The Tumilai in West Africa, there are some in northern Senegal that date from 1000 CE others in the southern Senegal zone, which date from 200 BCE to 100 CE. And the Gorma region of Mali, which date from 900 BCE to 540 BCE and probably one of the most famous Elwe Laji Tumilai, which is 11th century Mali, which dates during that same period and so forth. So we have a range of Tumilai, some which are comparable to the Tumilai that that were built at Korma, and even the Tumilai that were built in lower Nubia, among the Balaana culture of the Nuba days and so forth we see these practices spread across the Sahel. This gives us a different perspective on how we should understand, understand the founding of both Kushite states as well as Egyptian, the Sahel and Savannah perspective. For instance, Dr. Christopher Eric. He says the crucial early innovative areas in the continent lay in the Sudan belt in West Africa. Within the Zhar political history, Egypt's first large state, the Old Kingdom took shape not at the center, but at one edge of a wider nexus of early complexity that included Saharan pastoralists, Nubian town dwellers, and of course the Kutztul state. And yet, as undiscovered small states, whether South and Nubia as well. The major technological turning points of early African history, from the invention of ceramics to the invention of ironworking did not originate in Egypt, but spread there from other areas in For so long in Egyptology and even early Nubiali scholars such as George Reisner attempted to separate both Egypt and Nubia from the rest of Africa, and also make Africa nowhere near connected to the Nile Valley as if the Nile Valley Egypt and Nubia were not on the African continent, suggesting that Egypt was a cul-de-sac or Nubia was a cul-de-sac in the Nile Valley with no type of interaction with the rest of quote unquote black Africa and so forth. Yet, what we see, Dr. Eric makes clear the ceramic production across the Sahel makes clear the tumuli production across the Sahel makes clear that the Nile Valley civilizations of both push in Egypt did not emerge in the bagam and did not merge disconnected from the rest of the African continent. And so rightly so, the foundation of Custul we see here, the famous Custul instance burner was discovered by the expedition team of the Oriental Institute Nubia expedition in the early 60s. And this famous instance burn that discovered at Cemetery L 24 of I believe the indication that there was a pharaonic monarchy and what is now lower Nubia before the founding of Dynastic, Dynastic Egypt. Certainly that was the case. Let me highlight some of the significance of the Custul instance burner. It was the earliest complex of easily reckon recognizable pharaonic symbols. And today, could soul is considered one of the founding centers of Dynastic Egyptian civilization one of four centers. In fact, along with Adidos and Nakata and hiring populace. The instance burner consists of the earliest representation of the white crown of upper Egypt in the middle Nile Valley. The instance burner is the first to depict. Horace, first upon the Sarah facade, the Falcon is the first to depict the prominent symbol of sovereignty and kingship during the early Dynastic period. It also displays a royal bark procession approaching an imperial palace. And it also is the first to assemble all of these unique pharaonic symbols together on one particular object as we as we see here. So what what, of course, this this is a well known discovery and when it and when it was first made and released in the early 60s and even in the 80s when it was published in prominent archaeology magazine magazines that caused a lot of controversy. Because the idea was that okay, these scholars are arguing that the Egyptian pharaonic civilization did not begin in Egypt, but it began in ancient Nubia. And actually that was the incorrect way to understand it. What it was really showing us is that now Valley civilization and dynastic state formation was in distance, in dispensably connected to what we now call lower Nubia and ancient Kush. And so the coastal instance burner reveals that to us. And then not only that could school as well as the other upper Egyptian and Kushite states cannot be considered independent of East, East Central Africa the Great Lakes region, or what I've been emphasizing so far in this presentation, the Sahel and the Saharan belt as well. This leads us to what we would see at coastal and both Kush, as well as upper Egypt. So, this leads us to Donald B. reference book. I think it's been out maybe 10 years and more now from slave to Pharaoh, the black experience of ancient Egypt. And this is popular this perspective. This viewpoint on ancient Kush and Nubia in this bifurcation of a white Egypt, or at least a non African Egypt and then a black Nubian Kush, and so forth. Somehow, the Kushites or slaves, and then they became pharaohs only in the 25th dinosaur Egypt, right, this is the common reception, right, yet the evidence suggests otherwise and certainly the rise of Kush from the first intermediate period to the second intermediate period suggests otherwise. And then of course, the connections to the Sahara and Sahel belt suggests otherwise as well. The first beginnings of Nubia and Nubians in relation to Egypt, therefore, was as sovereign equals and not slaves. Reference suggests that the study of Nubian history throughout its entire span, along with a group Nubia and karma is not germane to a book that attempts to situate not button history within the context of new kingdom Egypt, without ever establishing the antecedents of not button culture in karma and the pre-dynastic traditions of Sudan and Sahel in Africa, such an approach is historically indefensible and certainly Egypt century. And so when when we only focus on the so called black pharaohs or the 25th dynasty. Or we only focus on the period of Nubian, I'm sorry Egyptian conquest of karma, as well as lower Nubia during the new kingdom with common sense, and then certainly most is the third, who kind of seals the deal for Egyptian conquest of Nubia during the new kingdom that 500 year period. But when we begin Kushite history with Egyptian conquest, when a new kingdom, or only the 25th dynasty beginning in the late period Egyptian history, and we ignore old kingdom middle kingdom we ignore karma. We ignore its influence in the now Valley, we ignore its connection to Sahel the Sahel in the Sahara belt as well as the Great Lakes region. Then we can put out books that suggest that the Nubians were somehow black slaves in in in the now in the now Valley, only and exclusively. Certainly Kush was called vile certainly Kush was called wretched. Kush was called wretched in vile in some Egyptian texts because they were a major rival in a major contender, even in the silver knock inscription that I showed you at the beginning of this presentation. The word vile Kush is used at that trope that motif is used, and certainly because Kush, along with the Magi along with see group along with point have launched an invasion into Egypt, certainly that is not indicative of a people who are inferior or who are imitators or who are slaves. I'm going to clarify just very quickly, some of the toponyms and ethnonyms for the region, known as cushion. In Egyptian text Nubia was called while what was consisted of lower Nubia, also called Tassetti was referred to a kingdom in lower Nubia, translating land of the bow. In Tassetti was also the first moment upper Egypt on the border of lower Nubia and so forth. In Egyptian texts upper Nubia what is now upper Nubia, or the Kermacush cataract fourth fifth cataract region was called yam. In Egyptian texts. Other times the land was also called time the Hesse, the Nubian land. Beginning in the 12th dynasty the middle kingdom, the toponym Kush is used, beginning in the 12th dynasty. So old and middle kingdom texts, the territory that we now refer to as ancient Nubia, or the modern country of the Sudan and even Southern Egypt. These were the terms that were used during the old and middle kingdom in ancient Egyptian literature from why watch to Kush. Those are the terms that are used. Another ethnonym that is often used is the Hesse Egyptologists have translated over the years as Negro. Other times they translated as black, other times they translated as as Nubian. I'm more inclined to agree with Stuart Tyson Smith, who was recently established that that the verbs for the basis of the Hesse or the Hesse were to be used to try to implore a God, or to bite or sting. This very little evidence other than the chauvinistic bias of early Egyptologists to translate the word in the Hesse as Negro or or black, and even technically, it does not mean Nubian either. It's its own inherent ethnonym. I'm more inclined to accept that it means to implore a God or to bite or sting. Another reason why these translations are interesting to me because this was the trope of the Ethiopians right the Greeks called the area now known as, or then known as Kush, the Ethiopia. And then the Greeks had tropes and motifs for these people as well. And one of them was they are very devout very religious. And then number two, they are expert archers and fighters and combatants and wrestlers. So this translation of the Hesse as one to implore God to summon a God or to bite to sting in other words your your martial and combative abilities and so forth seems to be more in line even with later tropes and the reputation of these people during that particular time. Now the word Nubian itself. Is this dispute over. Is it based upon the Egyptian word for gold. The boot. Or is it based upon texts that we begin to see Greek texts that we begin to see in the third century Aristocenees and then Strabo quating, quoting Aristocenees I should say. We see the word. New by used. And then we also see the word. Nova used to refer to these people south of the first cataract. The axiomite Stelae Greek Stelae Abizana also calls the people the Nova and Coptic text they are called a new but right so this is the, the first time we begin to see that that particular term. Yet, the term new being has taken on a general geographic description of what we now call Kush. Southern Egypt, or should I say, not just push but why what lower Nubia so southern Egypt. Or lower Nubia and then of course all up in Nubia. So oftentimes we see ancient Nubia, Egypt's rival in Africa, or the ancient Nubians, and so forth. And so it has taken on the notion of a generalized geographic description of the entire now valley, although it also refers to a particular group that are located in in in northern Sudan and in southern Egypt. So I just wanted to understand how we use the terms. Let's talk a little bit about karma. Karma is divided into these particular chronological phases. The neolithic culture pre karma settlement dated between 3500 and 5000 BCE. Karma. 2500 to 2050 BC, which is is also known as kermin and shuns. And then middle karma also known as karma more young and then karma, karma classic. Here I just use the English translation early karma middle karma and classic karma. The period that we're that we're focusing on during the second in the minute period which I have highlighted in red. It's primarily dealing with the period of middle current and classic current. So between 2050 BCE and 1580 BC. What you all see to your right is a bell shaped karma beaker. This was the hallmark of classical karma civilization. The karma beaker is the most common form of the classic karma where it's an outgrowth of a long nilotic tradition of black top red polish where it marked the zenith of ceramic technology in the ancient kingdom of karma. This particular beaker was found at the Egyptian site of overdose. In fact, a number of wears from classic karma have been found in that region during the middle kingdom, and even some as late as the early kingdom. The tunes generally contain both herma ceramics as well as Egyptian goods. This particular ceramic was found in Abidos in in upper Egypt shows a level of interaction and communication, as well as trade in the movement of people at this particular time. This one is particularly dated during the classic karma period this particular, this particular where was we have to refer to the ancient city of karma. For us to your left, this is the Western Dufufa. This was a mud brick or Adobe temple that was at the center of the town of karma. And then to your right, what you see is a scale model of what the city look like, put out by Charles Doné in the Swiss archaeology mission in Sudan. The kingdom of karma was the largest of the second intermediate period states. So during the second intermediate period that you'll see a map as we move forward. You have a state states in the north and adverse, both the 14th and 15th dynasties at adverse. You have upper Egyptian dynasties of Thebans 1617 dynasties in particular. Then you have of course polities in Northern Nubia, the Magi, as well as see group, and so forth and then karma Kush. The largest of these states the largest of these polities at this time and in the now valley was the kingdom of karma. At this peak, it stretched from the first to the fifth cataract covering over 1000 kilometers. In fact, Charles Bonnet remarks of this period that the kingdom of karma is without a doubt the prominent civilization of the valley of the Nile, in quote, which, you know, in researching is which was very curious to me this is not this is not anything that's original. I mentioned William Vivian Vivian Davies, of course, Charles Bonnet, Dominique Vabao, lasotarach, all of the scholars are familiar with this particular period in the prominence of karma during this time. So it just it just begs the question. Why does the image of the 25th dynasty of Kush continue to persist in the popular imagination of a time when Kush had prominence in the now valley when clearly during this period, this was the most prominent of the now valley states during the classic karma period. Not only that the Dufufa that we see here to the left again I indicated that it was a temple, towering over 25 meters high of that in that city at that particular time and even when you look at the model produced by Swiss mission in the Sudan. What you see in the center of the town that that building is the Dufufa. So it was surrounded, of course, by different compounds, smaller villages, and one of the things that really is marketed about this if you look very closely and this is something again that that that I've heard Dr. say not only reading his work but also meeting him at newbie studies conferences is that much of the architecture at karma was distinct and some of it was reminiscent of West African styles in particular. The hut buildings, as well as the circular structures structures with chronicle fat rooms, three column structures holding up are reminiscent of structures seen in Cameroon and Nigeria and other places in in in West Africa, suggesting that karma was indeed not only a now valley civilization but also a part of the Saharan and Sahelian. In the biography of me park hoof expeditions there is mention of Nubian nations and Nubian ethnicities and both of these texts. They mentioned a federation of various nubians in the biography of me mentions the urgent Nubians, the Magi Nubians yam Nubians while what Nubians and the cow Nubians. We also technically if we if we follow your kingdom texts, it also could it also could be the urgent. And the harcourt expedition is saying a confederation of Nubians are mentioned. So what you all see to the right is an image of Nubian soldiers. Dated to the middle kingdom 11th Dynasty. Found an area of our suit. And, and then the image to the right at the bottom is a stay lay of a Nubian soldier called men. After the collapse of the old kingdom and during the Civil War. And the men's in the Heraklion politics during the first intermediate period, while what Nubian soldiers figured prominently in the military of both factions. The gambling Nubian mercenaries fought on the side of Herakliopolis. But Nubian warriors also fought on the side of the Phoeban armies, and they were greatly utilized and deployed by both Pharaoh and second, as well as my two attempt to second. The stay lay of the new. Again, this is the one on the bottom right is another study let stay lay from the area called gambling, which was a area where it was a contingency of Nubian mercenaries who had fought during the first intermediate period Civil Wars. This provides this particular stay lay provides life, the life of a Nubian soldier during the early 11th Dynasty, the stay lay presents the archer and new, and his Egyptian wife, say cator. The scene also highlights the new son, daughter and servant along with hunting dogs, then new wears the new wears Nubian tire and well as his son, daughter and servant his wife is depicted wearing a white Egyptian dress. The stay lay demonstrates the extent to which Nubian soldiers integrated into Egyptian society. Intermarried with Egyptian woman if that intermarriage was common between Egyptians and Nubians, and such families represented by cultural and interethnic relationships that contributed to shaping the culture of upper Egypt and lower Nubia during the first intermediate period in the middle king. Then new represents a distinct Egypt O Nubian culture in Egypt and lower Nubia that was pervasive in shaping the political life of both the first intermediate period up into the rule of Kush during the second intermediate period. The culture was forged by again, see group, Magi, karma, nehesi, people that inhabit those regions. And so the Nubian soldiers were very prominent. In fact, during the middle kingdom, the Egyptian military adopted Nubian military attire, and even the hieroglyphic sign for soldier army takes his iconography from a Nubian warrior, representing a kneeling man with a bow and an arrow and feather on his head. In fact, Egyptian soldiers of the middle kingdom adapted the warrior uniform and regalia of Nubian warriors, thus appropriating Nubian martial culture and combat. Again, this would persist from the first intermediate period. Well into through the middle kingdom up until the second intermediate period. The Egypt O Nubian pharaohs the 11th and 12th Dynasty. And Monho Monhotep Montuhotep the second. And that had patch rock, and then I'm in the hop. The first, both are founders of dynasties Montuhotep the second is the founder of the 11th dynasty, and I'm in the hop versus the founder of the 12th dynasty. In the funerary temple complex of Nehepetra Montuhotep the second and El del Bahari, six burial shrines were uncovered at the temple of half four comprised of Nubian woman who served this half four precesses. Five of the six women were also identified as wives of Montuhotep. One of the Queens identified as a she yet was portrayed in her sarcophagus as a dark ground woman as were her companions Queen Kim set and Queen. How we so Montuhotep. These women were Nubian woman, not only were they were Nubian woman but they were also priestess of of half four and were buried in his royal complex alongside with him. And my colleague Dr. Solange Ashby who's actually a part of this Nubian lecture series has done more detailed research on that particular area. And then of course we have. Who to was a part of this Egyptian or Egypt O Nubian cultural new you. And this is how we must situate both Montuhotep the second, as well as on and hop the first on and hop is famous for the prophecy and effort to where the text explicitly states that the king, a king will come from the south. How many the son of a woman of Tassetti, child of upper Egypt, the prophecy is communicating that not only is on and hop first to prophesy savior who will restore the two lands, but he is also an Egyptian of Nubian ethnic heritage from upper Egypt. So the prophecy and effort to announces that I'm in hop, we actually served in the administration of Montuotep fourth. So he was not of royal blood of the royal family. He was actually a soldier who worked his way through the ranks during the, during the regime or rain of Montuotep the fourth I'm referring to I'm in hop, I'm in hop to first. And one of the ways to legitimize his ruling finance well dynasty was this was a prophecy and effort to what's peculiar about it is that it connects the restoration of the two lands with the son of a woman from Tassetti. In particular, saying that he will be the next savior. Now of course we also have to deal with the fortresses that were built in lower Nubia. Beginning with, I'm going to hop to first is successor sin were set the first and then similar set third would build all the major fortresses in lower Nubia. Now there's discussion about. Why was the 12 dynasty pharaohs building these fortresses, what was the purpose of these fortresses, and I have them listed. From north to south. So if you look on the map to the right is the fortress of boo hen, which is the father's north and then similar south is the further south. In fact, 15 fortresses were built in lower Nubia during the 12th dynasty, most of the fortresses were built during the reign of sin were set the first extending from occur a coupon in the north to boo hen. The greatest concentration of the fortresses were located in the semna Gorge, which was the most critical region for defending the border between lower Nubia and upper Nubia against the advances of the kingdom of push. And a review of the topony for the fortresses of this region. Shell fact or not to send the west and the south and come the reveals the defensive purposes of these structures. And that was referred to to conquer the foreign countries and or not he was called repelling the into referring to a Nubian people associated with the majority and similar South carried the title, subduing the city, or the bow land. And Kuma was designated as repelling the bows. And so, oftentimes the fortress building of the 12 dynasty is interpreted as an active colonization. An act of subduing lower Nubia. What I suggest is that the primary purpose was defensive to secure the southern frontier against karma. Certainly trade. The fortresses were also used for trade surveillance of the sea group, the has the people and then certainly to annex gold mine, and then the control of the now these are different reason these are different functions of how the fortresses were used, but the impetus for the fortresses during the 12th dynasty was to defend against the kingdom of Kush and its alliances with the polities of why why. What I think is that the so about not inscription is what we began with. And in that inscription, he describing his his war his fight against a Kushite Federation is a was a persistent threat. His inscription is 17 dynasty so it's late second intermediate period late second intermediate period. And yet that was a threat and preoccupied and preoccupation. We see even during the 12th dynasty. This was a persistent threat. But these, these fortresses would begin to be built during the 12th dynasty, because that marked the time period where Kush could very well had had been could have advanced and taken over. I shouldn't say take over but advanced and attempted to conquer lower Nubia and upper Egypt sooner than the period of the 17th dynasty in the second intermediate. And so what we see what was going was going on here is that the invasion that so but not describes could have happened, not in the 17th dynasty, it could have happened even in the 12th dynasty, or late 11th dynasty, and the fortresses were built to prevent what so but not describes in his inscription a Kushite Federation invading Egypt. And right holds work, political situation in Egypt during the second intermediate period, 13th dynasty, who by honor and hop to forth 14th dynasty was a very interesting dynasty can unite dynasty 15th dynasty to heck a casu or the Hixos 16th dynasty even the 17th dynasty the 16th and 17th dynasty of course will give birth to the famous 18th dynasty, the dynasty that ultimately expels the Hixos from northeastern Egypt and establishes the new king. Right the 16th and 17th dynasty of course leads to that 18th dynasty. The two different dynasties are referred to as the second intermediate period, the second unit period was was coined by British Egyptologists at the turn the 20th century previous periods, it was simply known as the Hixos period. And early 20th century scholars began to call it the second intermediate period because of the diversity, realizing that Hixos was just one of many key players. And the Hixos, the 14th dynasty, which I think is an under under study dynasty in the popular imagination of Egyptology, in particular, because we mostly pay attention to the 15th dynasty and the, and the Hixos, right, but their predecessor 14th dynasty was also a Kenanite dynasty and an Egyptianized Kenanite dynasty that have been present in Egypt for quite some time from the southern Levant, whereas the 15th dynasty Hixos were more from the northern northern region of the Levant, and so those two particular dynasties being based at Avers, 14th and 15th dynasty but they were not the only players of course the Thebans, and then of course the Kushai confederation of both Kush, and then all the polities of Lower Nubia or northern Nubia in, in, in, in, not. We know about the, the, the 14th, 15th dynasties because of scarab sealed impressions. The particular importance for the study of the second intermediate period, the production and use of royal scarab seals or impressions flourished under the 13th dynasty and then they were adopted by the rulers in the 14th and 15th dynasty at Avers. The study of the scarab typology became the primary means for establishing the chronological order of the Avers kings in particular. The particular king during this period that interests me, who, who was a king in the 14th dynasty, who took on the name Nehesi, whose mother was a Kushite queen and whose father was a Canaanite king. Nehesi was the, was the child of a diplomatic marriage between both Kush and the Canaanite kings who were Lower Nubia and during the 14th dynasty at Avers. The second intermediate period. This particular king also erected monuments at Avers as well. That intense relation between the kingdom of Avers and the rulers of Kush. So one of the things we see going on during the second intermediate period is that there is a diplomatic alliance between the kingdom of Kush. And both the 14th dynasty, the Canaanite dynasty as well as the 15th dynasty, the Hixos, there is a diplomatic arrangement. In other words, they are working together. And for trade and commerce, I, and I would imagine so because the, the, the northern part of Egypt, of course, provided access to the entire Mediterranean world. And so the Kush, the Kush, Kush would have needed that relationship to move its goods and trade items into the Mediterranean world and then vice versa. So Avers, both the 14th dynasty and the 15th dynasty, Hixos would have needed Kush for all of the trade routes that connect the Nile Valley to both the western Sahel and Sahara as well as across the Red Sea into the Indian Ocean diaspora and so these two kingdoms, the northern kingdom of the Hixos and the Canaanite kings of the 14th dynasty in diplomatic alliance with Kush. The early second intermediate period, I'm sorry, forgive me, direct and intense relationship between the rulers of Kush and Avers at this time are mentioned in the stele of Kamosa, of Kamosa. And are tested by finds of lower Egyptian pottery and karma cemeteries and in lower Anubian fortresses. This evidence is supported by seals with the names of Asiatic rulers, as well as Avers or Canaanite designs found in karma context in Nubia. So what we see here is that there are, as there's archeological evidence, not only sources, literary sources of archeological evidence, demonstrate the connections between the kingdoms at Avers and the kingdoms of Kush, primarily seals, Avers seals being discovered at karma. So this is a map of the Nile Valley during the second intermediate period. Again, we see, even on this map, it has the 15th dynasty Hixos. It completely does not mention the 14th dynasty of Canaanites. It mentions the 16th dynasty, the Theven dynasty, and then you see the kingdom of Kush to the south. These were the major polities and states during the second intermediate period. And of course, Kush was the largest of the second intermediate states, and certainly the most influential and powerful at the time. The image to the right is simply an image of the expulsion of the Hixos. Because of the war that Karmosis would fight, and then certainly his successors, Akmosis as well in the founding of the 18th dynasty, ultimately pushes the 15th dynasty Hixos out of the Nile Valley. And the third would come in and say, well, we have to, we have to deal with Kush too. It's not enough to control lower Nubia. We see the power of this state. So, most of the third extends Egyptian influence for the first time in Nile Valley history. This state extends its political influence and power and reign as far south as the fourth and fifth cataracts regions. This occurs under most of the third during the new kingdom. During the second intermediate period, there are Egyptian officials who were stationed at the fortresses in lower Nubia, who during that time and Kush takes control over lower Nubia. And the fortresses in that region. These Egyptian officials are now working and are in service of Kush. Right, so this particular stale of the official cop during the karma classy or classic karma period 17 dynasty. He says I was a valiant server, servant of the ruler or hecka of Kush. I wash my feet in the waters of Kush. In the following of the rule of Nege, I returned safe and sound in my family too. So here we have an example of an Egyptian official who was saying he is now working in service of the Kushite King. Going this particular time, just having a problem with some reasons. I have just two more slides, and it's not moving forward. Would you like to wrap up just without use of the slides and then we can move on to questions. Very strange. That is strange. Let me just want to try one more time. Okay, I can just do it. Is that clear. Yeah, that'll do. That'll do. I don't want to go back to the full screen and me. The stale of the commander of Booheen, so pet whore. Again, I was violent, a violent commander of Booheen, no previous commander has done what I have done. A temple to Horus, Lord of Booheen to the satisfaction of the Prince of Kush. So we see that these officials are now in service of Kush in lower Nubia in Upper Egypt. The famous commoses stay late. And this stay late. Basically he's staying low. We have to fight in free Egypt in the north, the Hicks also ruling us and in the south cushions ruling us of course I'm paraphrasing that's not exactly what it says. But I know we have to wrap it up. And so in this stay late he's basically saying that these two powers have taken over Egypt, and their respective regions in the now valley. Right. And so we have to fight in resistance and so forth. Certainly the asiatics, but also Nubia who's in the who has a possession of Egypt as well. Right. So it's clear that in the 17th dynasty. Nubia was a prominent power. Kush was a prominent power in the now valley. And then the course, the famous common second stay lay where it alleges that he intercepted a letter from the king of the his pixels of Pepe. And in this letter, the king of the Hicksos is asking the king of Kush for assistance to fight against the Thebans. Right. So what we have here again is an example of Hicksos and Kushite collaboration to main power to maintain power in this particular letter. The Hicksos King says come north, come north do not hold back. See, he is here with me. There is none who will stand up to you in Egypt. So the this representation is suggesting that Kush is formidable because the king of the Hicksos is saying that no one in Egypt can stand up to you. So come help us assist us. I will not give him way out until you arrive, then we shall divide the towns of Egypt. And Kent Hanifer shall be enjoyed. Thank you. Thank you so much Dr. Fragi for that really interesting and really informative presentation of your work. We have several questions that have come in from the audience if you would give us a few more moments to answer some of them we'd appreciate it. And so to just jump into the questions. One from a Carl Walsh is asking are the West African tumuli you mentioned similar in their construction techniques to the Kerma tumuli. And where have they been published. Now again, let me say this, I can't speak and make a blanket statement because there, there are thousands in Mali and Senegal. And so and there are variations and not all of them were built during the same time period. I think the earliest is 900 BCE. And then the lady may be the 11th century AD. And then they range from Senegal to Mali even to northern, even to northern Nigeria. But two scholars that I mentioned are both Africanist archaeologists. Kevin McDonald. And then Susan McIntosh has done some work I think in the earlier mid 90s or so forth. This is just very, when I discovered this is very exciting to me. I've also told me one thing. Another thing as well is that Africanist archaeologist. We have to be in dialogue. I know we have our disciplines but we compartmentalize our knowledge and disciplines. So new biologists and Egyptologists aren't talking to Africanist and then vice and then vice versa. And these West African stimuli have been known about since, let's say by the Western world, I'll say that by the Western world, since the 19th century, when the French during during the colonial era, colonizing West African creating French West Africa, and the Upper Volta. So we're very aware of these tunula and have begun to survey them and even exit, excavate some of them as well. That's great. I really want to echo that call for for more communication collaboration, hopefully, having things online like this and the increased connectivity now that we all have. I mean due to the global pandemic maybe will actually help help with that and it might be one nice outcome. Good lots of questions are coming in so let me just move on to the next one. The next door from the director of the archaeological research facility has a couple of questions about sort of subsistence and cultural practices and so to just put them together. One is, did they use musical instruments that we associate with this region today such as the food in the Korra. The other is if you can comment on Nubian food ways and subsistence are they farmers along the Nile, or elsewhere and do they eat in the style of the Sahelian and or nylotic foods, do they use ovens or griddles or both. Wow, great, great question some of the, maybe, maybe beyond my expertise. The first question about musical instruments. And you, she mentioned that I love the Korra by the way, I love the sound of that of that that instrument, Mali and Senegambi and so forth. I'm not sure I know some of the similarities monarchs monarchs were buried in these to me live as the to me live in the Nile Valley in Kermacush. They were also buried with their weapon as in Kermacush they were also buried with insignia. They were also buried with certain food items ceramics and so forth similar to Kermacush as well. And then the over and then the structure of them are also similar and I identical because each region had his own topographical variations and so forth. In terms of the food ways I really you know I really can't speak directly directly to that it beyond a more generalized level of the Nile having an agricultural basis certainly, but yet at the same time pastoral pastoral and nomadic lifestyles also coming in as well from from the West in the in these two lifestyles existing side by side. In information of of Kermacush and the city of karma. This early as 3500 BCE, you see this kind of proto urbanization happening. You know well before karma in its heyday during the middle and classic karma periods and so forth. So of course, agriculture to support a city like the model I showed you all from the Swiss expedition to support a city you had to be rooted in. Well for perhaps to find further information on those topics, someone actually asked, can you recommend any succinct readings for undergraduates on Nile Valley material culture, especially connections to West African material culture. Wow. I love what I was drawing on today came from Charles Charles bonus work for undergrads without me so much of it is technical in terms of it's still in the realm of you know archaeologists and so forth, but Charles bonus work. I have a colleague who just finished his PhD at the University College of London UCL who wrote his dissertation on this topic, but he focused primarily on Nigeria his name is Dr Andrew Jags. So, his, he's done similar work. That that I can think I'll think of right off hand. And finally, I, you know I mentioned Susan Macintosh and I mentioned Kevin McDonald's work. You may want to look at that my book, the root of newbie and Christianity I spend far more time in detail on this topic as well. I do have sections on my book they deal with this. Gilda fan on Dino has asked, as I said thank you so much for your interesting talk, and is asking about the ethno name Nubian. According to the most recent studies of see Riley the word derives from the neurotic word and OB found a neurotic texts. I don't know if I said that correctly, but that's sort of more of a comment than a question if you want to. I mean, certainly that I mean, you know, I met Dr Riley I'm familiar with his work. I'm certain that is plausible. I even suspect I mean just I'm a historian, and then I focus on archaeology anthropology and some in some linguistic as well. But I even suspect that, although the word in terms of Greek tech shows up in the third century. When we look at the material culture, especially around the funerary practices and the burial practices of late antique newbie the newbie days in particular. We see practices that extend back to the Merawidic period. And we also see practices that extend back to the Kushite karma period as well. So it could be that that particular term in Greek text that the new but or the Nova is actually referring to the same people who lived and existed in push during the karma period as well as the Merawidic period. So what I'm saying is maybe, maybe it's a different name for those people that that persisted from that time period. So, Riley's work showing a Merawidic origin, I mean that that that sounds, you know, plausible to me. I really can't comment it, you know beyond that because I don't specialize in the Merawidic language but certainly that that sounds like that can be a plausible take on the origin of the word. Okay, and to wrap up one more question from from salon jashby, who says I would love to hear more about the 14th dynasty King Nancy from avarice. This multi ethnic ruler needs to be better known. Yes, yes he does.  And certainly he represents the diplomatic alliance between Kush. And the canine kings in the 14th dynasty, a very, very interesting figure. In fact, I mentioned that I think the 14, the 14th dynasty doesn't get as much, you know, acknowledgement as the famous 15th dynasty of the pixels. I think it's even more important for understanding Egypt's connection to the Levant in particular. Those policies that from Syria to Jordan and everything else in between Israel Palestine and so forth. And so the 14th dynasty is very interesting. A very fascinating period. And I think it explains a lot. I think it even explains some of what we see in the biblical narrative as well. In terms of why there's such a prominent role. I know that's not my lecture that's my colleague who will come later. There's such a prominent as valorization of Kush in the Hebrew Bible. Kush is placed in the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter to Moses is married to a Kushite and then we see Kushites being sought for refuge in chronicles and kings to Harka is mentioned. And I think the 14th dynasty helps explain a lot of that, as opposed to just looking exclusively at the pixels in the 15th dynasty. Great, thank you. Dr. Faraj, I'm afraid we're out of time. Excuse me, but I would like to thank you on behalf of the body museum and the archaeological research facility, both at Pacific School of Religion and UC Berkeley for sharing these new perspectives on on ancient karma and ancient new be a and for kicking off this lecture series. Thank you for your talk and for your time. And we look forward to hearing further perspectives once a month, all the way through June. So, on behalf of the Berkeley community, thank you very much. We look forward to further events in the future. Absolutely. I appreciate it. Thank you for the invitation. And I'm looking forward to the other lecturers as well in this series. So, appreciate you all hosting an organization.