Nubia is the land along the Nile between Aswan in Egypt and Khartoum in Sudan. Its people, the Nubians, have their own languages, music, architecture and history going back thousands of years, and today many of them live in and around Aswan.
Ancient Nubia
Nubia was rich in gold, ivory and ebony, and was both a trading partner and a rival of Egypt. The Kingdom of Kerma flourished there around 2500 to 1500 BC. Later, the kings of Kush, from Napata in today’s Sudan, conquered Egypt and ruled it as the 25th Dynasty around 747 to 656 BC. Their successors at Meroe built hundreds of steep pyramids.
Nubian Village trip by MotorboatThe flooding of Nubia
In the 1960s the High Dam created Lake Nasser, which covered the villages and fields of Lower Nubia. Tens of thousands of Nubians were moved to new settlements north of Aswan, a loss still felt by many families. The temples of the region were rescued and moved, among them Abu Simbel and Kalabsha.
Nubian village at Aswan tour with motor boatNubian culture today
Nubian houses are known for their domed roofs and walls painted in bright colors with geometric patterns. Nubian music, with its drums and call-and-response singing, is popular across Egypt. Many Nubians speak Nobiin or Kenzi as well as Arabic. A visit to a village such as Gharb Soheil, or to the islands of Elephantine, is a chance to drink tea with a family and see how people live. The Nubian Museum tells the full story.
Visit
Nubian village visits are part of many of our Aswan day tours and Nile cruises.
