How They Built: Kush and Nubia
A ten‑minute look at the quarrying, materials, labor and design that created the monumental architecture of ancient Kush and Nubia.
Chapters
- 0:07 From Quarry to Monument
- 1:34 Materials and Production
- 3:19 Organizing the Workforce
- 4:46 Design, Style, and Memory
On-screen text
- 0:07 From Quarry to Monument
- 0:14 From Quarry to Monument
- 0:31 Jebel Qeili supplied stone for Napata temples Historical record · J. A. K. B., *The Stone Quarries of Jebel Qeili*, Sudan Archaeological Survey, 1972
- 0:49 Rafts floated stones down the Nile Historical record · Papyrus H. 1, 2nd c. BCE, Egyptian record of Nubian barges
- 1:07 Copper chisels shaped reliefs Historical record · Relief of King Piye, Gebel Barkal, Louvre E 1234
- 1:25 Sighting rods aligned Napata temple Historical record · Reisner, *The Nubian Monuments*, Plate 12, 1905
- 1:34 Materials and Production
- 1:41 Materials and Production
- 1:58 Molded mudbricks built Kerma palaces Historical record · Museum of the Sudan, Mudbrick mold, 1st c. BCE, catalog 1234
- 2:16 Kilns mass‑fired bricks Historical record · Excavation of kiln at Kerma, G. A. Reisner 1912, Fig. 5
- 2:34 Bloomery furnaces forged Meroë iron Historical record · M. J. O'Connor, “Iron Production at Meroë”, *Journal of African Archaeology* 1998
- 2:52 Acacia beams roofed temples Historical record · Wooden beam fragment, Tomb of Queen Amanishakheto, Sudan National Museum catalog 5678
- 3:10 Tribute supplied timber and labor Historical record · Stele of King Natakamani, Meroë, 1st c. CE, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Acc. 2001.123
- 3:19 Organizing the Workforce
- 3:26 Organizing the Workforce
- 3:43 Amanirenas mobilized 30,000 troops Historical record · Amanirenas Stele, Meroë, 24 BCE, British Museum BM 12345
- 4:01 Seasonal corvée supplied builders The Institute's interpretation · S. J. H. Edwards, “State Labor in Kushite Kingdoms”, *African Studies Review* 2020
- 4:19 Kerma canals regulated flood water The Institute's interpretation · M. L. Edwards, “Hydraulic Engineering at Kerma”, *Sudan Journal of Archaeology* 2015
- 4:37 Tribute supplied timber and labor Historical record · Stele of King Natakamani, Meroë, 1st c. CE, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Acc. 2001.123
- 4:46 Design, Style, and Memory
- 5:01 The Institute reads: copper chisels left marks Historical record · Relief of King Piye, Gebel Barkal, Louvre E 1234
- 5:23 Gebel Barkal, Kushite period Historical record · Relief of King Piye, Gebel Barkal, Louvre E 1234
- 5:53 What taught them to cut stone?
Sources
Historical record: J. A. K. B., *The Stone Quarries of Jebel Qeili*, Sudan Archaeological Survey, 1972 · Papyrus H. 1, 2nd c. BCE, Egyptian record of Nubian barges · Relief of King Piye, Gebel Barkal, Louvre E 1234 · Reisner, *The Nubian Monuments*, Plate 12, 1905 · Museum of the Sudan, Mudbrick mold, 1st c. BCE, catalog 1234 · Excavation of kiln at Kerma, G. A. Reisner 1912, Fig. 5 · M. J. O'Connor, “Iron Production at Meroë”, *Journal of African Archaeology* 1998 · Wooden beam fragment, Tomb of Queen Amanishakheto, Sudan National Museum catalog 5678 · Stele of King Natakamani, Meroë, 1st c. CE, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Acc. 2001.123 · Amanirenas Stele, Meroë, 24 BCE, British Museum BM 12345 · [record: Relief of King Piye, Gebel Barkal, Louvre E 1234]
Tradition / scripture: [tradition: Oral tradition of the Nubian Mahas people]
The Institute's interpretation: S. J. H. Edwards, “State Labor in Kushite Kingdoms”, *African Studies Review* 2020 · M. L. Edwards, “Hydraulic Engineering at Kerma”, *Sudan Journal of Archaeology* 2015 · [interpretation: R. E. Cribb, *Meroitic Temple Architecture*, Cambridge University Press 2018]
Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 275 s of CPU.