New England Chapter: Nubia and its Neighbors: Non-Kushite Elements on Napatan and Meroitic Architecture

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Lecture Information

The Temple of Apademak at Naqa (photo by S.M. Schellinger)

As with most civilizations in the ancient world, Nubia had contact with its neighbors, particularly Egypt, the Aksumite Empire, and the broader Mediterranean World. These connections can be seen through the adoption and adaptation of foreign elements by Nubian artisans in both their material culture, such as stelae and funerary art, and architecture, such as palaces, temples, and pyramid style tombs. This presentation will illustrate how the Napatan (ca. 800-300 BCE) and Meroitic (ca. 300 BCE-350 CE) kingdoms incorporated foreign decorative elements into their architecture while also expressing their culture in its own right. 

Speaker Bio

Sarah M. Schellinger is a Lecturer in Egyptian, Nubian, and Mesopotamian arts, histories, and cultures at the Ohio State University. She is the co-director of the Es-Selim R4 (ESR4) archaeological project in the Northern Dongola Reach of North Sudan. Dr. Schellinger is also the author of the forthcoming book Nubia published by Reaktion Books in their “Lost Civilizations” series (2022).