An African kingdom on the Nile
In a lecture at the Canadian Institute of Archaeology in Cairo last month, Krzys Grzymski of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) described the use of modern technology to uncover the origins and topography, history and development of Meroe, an African kingdom which developed along the upper reaches of the Nile about 200km north of Khartoum between 800 BC and 350 AD.
"We began our operations in October 1999, and ancient Meroe is slowly coming to light," Grzymski said. "We first carried out a comprehensive survey of the area, and we are doing our work slowly and thoroughly. There is probably no greater danger to the preservation of an ancient site than hasty excavations, and much of our first season was spent walking over the entire area and recording surface material."
Egypt and Nubia
TO APPRECIATE the significance of this African kingdom, which once controlled important trade routes from central Africa to the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and in the third century BC held sway over the Nile to within reach of Aswan, it is important to note that Egyptologists tend to regard Lower Nubia as Egyptian territory, virtually an extension of Egypt.
This is not surprising, since it was their colony as far as the Second Cataract, where the powerful Pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom constructed huge fortresses around 2000 BC. This frontier was later pushed further south when, in the New Kingdom (1567-1080 BC), Egypt controlled areas that Thutmose I claimed were "not known to my ancestors". Fine Pharaonic temples were built at Semna, Soleb and Sesibi, and Egyptian viceroys were appointed to govern all of Lower Nubia. For nearly 500 years it remained in the hands of high-ranking officials whose titles included "son of Kush". Egyptians were encouraged to take up residence in Nubia and Egypt's technological capabilities were introduced to the region.
Latter seems to be a background piece on Nubia. It seems incomplete though. The first is by the always informative Jill Kamil.
Update: "Distant Dakhla""
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/798/he3.htm
About the fifth conference of the Dakhla Oasis Project (DOP). (via EEF)
Update II: "Karnak facelift approved"
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2006/798/fr2.htm
"Rumours of the environmental disaster that would be wreaked
by the Karnak Development Project, approved by the Supreme
Council of Antiquities (SCA) and Luxor City Council (LCC), began
to circulate early in May. The project would, said its detractors,
destroy the context of Karnak Temple (...). Francesco Bandarin,
director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, wrote to SCA
Secretary-General Zahi Hawass, suggesting alternative solutions
be sought, and threatening to remove Karnak Temple from
the World Heritage List should the project go ahead as planned."
(Also EEF)