IMPERIALISM, STATE, AND SOCIAL HIERARCHIZATION ON LOWER NUBIA DURING EGYPTIAN NEW KINGDOM (1550-1070 B.C.)

Abstract

Scholars have traditionally interpreted the relationships between Egyptians and Nubians on the grounds of the superiority of Egyptian social norms and culture, which were imposed onto Nubia in the New Kingdom. I argue that this perspective finds its roots in the intellectual setting of the XIX century, which consistently emphasized the inferiority of the cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa. On the contrary, a more careful analysis of the Egyptian imperialism in Nubia should consider the dynamics and conflicts inherent to the Nubian society. Following this perspective, this paper investigates how the Egyptian imperialism stimulated the appearance of strict social hierarchies in Lower Nubia in order to create an effective system to explore local natural resources, which would play an important role in the keeping of the empire. In this context, Egyptian relations of production were preferred over Nubian ways of organizing society.

Keywords:
Ancient Africa; Ancient Egypt; Ancient Nubia; New Kingdom; Imperialism