Kerma: archaeological excavations at Kerma, Nubia (Sudan)
Posted by Celia Walter | 1 Mar, 2010
This is the official website of the archaeological excavations at
Kerma, Nubia (Sudan). The website is available in French and English
(click on E or F on the logo to switch between the two), but published
papers are only available in one language (some are in English and some
in French). This well organised website publishes short articles,
accompanied by several colour pictures, on the history of Kerma and the
research carried out so far by the Swiss team working there. Similarly
organised are sections "Archaeological Sites" and "Museum". Section
"Publications" contains a comprehensive bibliographic list with several
papers freely available in PDF format. Section "Media" lists the recent
TV and radio broadcasts to which team members have participated.
Although all links point to external resources, at the time of review
it was possible to access the original broadcasts, all of which were in
French. A simple sitemap, contacts and an internal search engine
complete this commendable website.
Kerma, referred to as Kush in Egyptian texts, is a very important site consisting of a settlement and the eastern necropolis, dated between 2500 and 1500 BC, and it was the capital of the Nubian kingdom. The nearby Nubian sites of Napata and Meroe are also mentioned in the illustrated texts and papers. In addition to have been an independent kingdom, Nubia's history is inextricably intertwined with that of Egypt: throughout the long history of ancient Egypt, pharaohs invaded several times Nubia, but a few dynasties of pharaohs were also of Nubian origin. This website provides a concise and clear history of the facts, including a chronological table, and section "Publications" expands on many themes. This website also publishes the preliminary reports from the ongoing excavations. It is an essential website for anyone interested in the ancient history of Africa or Egyptology, hosting contents that should satisfy everyone, from the curious amateur archaeologist to advanced researchers.