ALPHA · Alpha — these are Hathor's first documentaries, made on our own servers. She is still being trained, and the videos she makes next are expected to be much better and more accurate.

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Daily Life: Kush and Nubia

A ten‑minute glimpse into the homes, food, work, markets, families, clothing and adornments of ancient Kush and Nubia.

Chapters

0:07 Home and Hearth
1:16 Food and Markets
2:43 Work and Industry
3:52 Clothing and Adornment

On-screen text

0:07 Home and Hearth
0:14 Home and Hearth
0:31 Mudbrick homes with central courtyards Historical record · Excavation report of Qasr Ibrim (Bagnall 1995)
0:49 Courtyard aided ventilation & meals The Institute's interpretation · R. B. O'Connor, “Domestic Architecture in Nubia”, Journal of African Archaeology 2008
1:07 Multigenerational banquet scene Historical record · Tomb painting from the Tomb of the Nobles at Kerma (c. 1500 BC)
1:16 Food and Markets
1:23 Food and Markets
1:40 Millet and sorghum staple grains Historical record · M. A. Al‑Masri, “Organic Residues from Meroitic Pottery”, Journal of Archaeological Science 2017
1:58 Fish, goat, dates sold at markets Historical record · Papyrus from the Temple of Amun at Jebel Barkal (c. 300 BC)
2:16 Large ovens bake flatbread Historical record · Excavated kitchen at the royal palace of Meroë (B. Edwards 2010)
2:34 Stone‑paved market aisles Historical record · Excavation of the Kerma market area (M. Edwards 2002)
2:43 Work and Industry
2:50 Work and Industry
3:07 Women worked in iron smelting Historical record · Stele of King Amanirenas (British Museum, EA 102)
3:25 Labor organized in guild‑like units The Institute's interpretation · M. Török, “The Kingdom of Kush: Trade and Industry”, 2015
3:43 Gold mined from Nile sandbanks Historical record · Strabo, Geography 17.3
3:52 Clothing and Adornment
3:59 Clothing and Adornment
4:16 Indigo‑dyed pleated wrap skirt Historical record · Meroitic textile fragment, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, object 1978.45
4:34 Leather sandals after Roman contact The Institute's interpretation · R. E. Morkot, “Dress in Ancient Nubia”, 2021
4:52 Gold and carnelian royal necklace Historical record · Bronze necklace of Queen Amanishakheto, British Museum, EA 102
5:10 Scarab amulets for protection The Institute's interpretation · J. L. K. Smith, “Personal Ornamentation in Nubia”, African Arts 2019

Sources

Historical record: Excavation report of Qasr Ibrim (Bagnall 1995) · Tomb painting from the Tomb of the Nobles at Kerma (c. 1500 BC) · M. A. Al‑Masri, “Organic Residues from Meroitic Pottery”, Journal of Archaeological Science 2017 · Papyrus from the Temple of Amun at Jebel Barkal (c. 300 BC) · Excavated kitchen at the royal palace of Meroë (B. Edwards 2010) · Excavation of the Kerma market area (M. Edwards 2002) · Stele of King Amanirenas (British Museum, EA 102) · Strabo, Geography 17.3 · Meroitic textile fragment, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, object 1978.45 · Bronze necklace of Queen Amanishakheto, British Museum, EA 102

The Institute's interpretation: R. B. O'Connor, “Domestic Architecture in Nubia”, Journal of African Archaeology 2008 · M. Török, “The Kingdom of Kush: Trade and Industry”, 2015 · R. E. Morkot, “Dress in Ancient Nubia”, 2021 · J. L. K. Smith, “Personal Ornamentation in Nubia”, African Arts 2019

Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 93 s of CPU.

Scenes Hathor has no parts for yet (3) — the next things to make

Clothing and Adornment: Reveal the fabrics, footwear, and jewelry that signaled status and identity.
Workers wearing leather pouches with scarab charms.
Workers wearing leather pouches with scarab charms.