Medieval Nobadia

As the focus of 21st century archaeological fieldwork in Sudan has shifted southwards, the archaeology of northern Nubia has perhaps receded from the attention of those engaged in ongoing field research. Exciting discoveries during current fieldwork in other parts of the Sudan are leaving less time for more analytical studies of existing bodies of data, accumulated through the 20th century. Most of the historical territory of Nobadia has of course now disappeared beneath the waters of the Nile; most of it exists only in the accumulated archives and publications of earlier generations. Only its southern parts, in the modern Sikood and Mahas regions still survive – although large parts of these areas are also now under threat from dam-building projects at Dal and Kajbar, perhaps within the notso- distant future. These dams would complete the physical obliteration of ancient Nobadia. Bearing this in mind, the Conference organisers were keen that a little time was devoted to the archaeology and history of the medieval kingdom of Nobadia, notwithstanding a number of synthetic studies of medieval Nobadia which have appeared over the last decade (e.g. Edwards 2004; Welsby 2002; 2006). [Opening paragraph]