Life and Death in Ancient Nubia: Archaeological and Bioarchaeological Perspectives

While often considered and presented in isolation, the archaeological study of mortuary contexts and the bioarchaeological study of human remains should be considered in tandem for broader interpretations of past lifeways. Mortuary contexts and human remains are often the only remaining and strongest evidence of past populations, particularly when ancient settlement sites are inaccessible or absent. This is particularly true for many regions and time periods of ancient Nubia, where without many written sources, the interpretation of Nubia’s past relies on archaeology and bioarchaeology. Mortuary landscapes (even those within settlement sites) and human remains of ancient Nubia reflect many cultural and biological aspects of this dynamic civilization, particularly in light of its ever-changing and complex relationship with ancient Egypt, including population identity, social and political complexity, population mobility and change, the transmission of ideas and material goods, subsistence practices, and disease. The aim of this symposium is to present mortuary evidence from both archaeological and bioarchaeological perspectives to give a broader understanding of culture and identity in ancient Nubia. The contributed papers will focus on the diversity of funerary practices and biological and cultural identity as related to all time periods of Nubian history.