The Ancient Egyptians

الجمعة، 15 أغسطس 2014

The beginnings of the Kerma culture have always been difficult to ascertain. It seems that the more we explore the site of Kerma, the further backwards in time we can push back the beginnings of this once powerful centre of trade of ancient Upper Nubia. We now have a rough anchor of around c.2500 - 2400 BC for the beginnings of the ancient town of Kerma, going on for about a thousand years or so until c.1500 BC and the starting dominance of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt which had just emerged from the dark years of the Second Intermediate Period. During the Middle Kingdom, the Egyptians started to build fortresses along the Nile as far as Semna South, midway between the Second and Third Cataracts. This was to safeguard their interests in the quarries and mining areas of Nubia as well as to protect and ensure the continuity of trade with Kerma. The Egyptians were also fully aware of the growing power and importance of the kingdom of Kerma

The ancient trade centre and culture of Kerma in the Dongola Reach of Upper Nubia, was the trading 'Middleman' of the ancient world, as well as the first urban society in tropical Africa.
Kerma is situated on the east side of the Nile River, just beyond the Third Cataract, in the one of the most favourable and fertile area of Upper Nubia - The Dongola Reach. Placed in this advantageous area, it became the cultural and economic centre of the area known by the Ancient Egyptians of the early second millenium BC, as Kush. This was probably the ancient land of Yam mentioned in Harkhuf's autobiography. A good translation can be found in Sir Alan Gardiners 'Egypt of the Pharaohs' [1964 edition pp99-100]. The Abri-Delgo Reach of the Nile, situated above Kerma and placed two thirds of the way between the Second and Third Cataracts, was also an important area during the rise of the Kerma culture. Here, the Island of Sai, which was the centre of Shaat, was the main focus of trade and the Kerma culture in this area. It has only just recently been discovered that there were three branches of river flowing through the Dongola area, and coupled with the yearly inundation of the River Nile, this would have made the area extremely rich in alluvial deposits and therefore ideally suitable for farming, cattle grazing, animal husbandry, as well as making the this area more favourable for human settlement than any other in Upper Nubia. These now dried up river branches, would have created a basin area of fertile land, which we now call the Kerma Basin. Wherever you may find these favourable conditions, is where you will find the greatest advances of culture in the ancient world. The climate and conditions of this area would have created an ideal situation not unlike some fertile areas along the Nile regions of Egypt itself.

The development of Kerma was contemporaneous with the C-Group in Lower Nubia. While Egypt was concerning itself with the control of Lower Nubia and the C-Group, Kerma was slowly developing its trade and culture beyond this buffer zone. There were three periods of the Kerma culture - Old Kerma, Middle Kerma and Classic Kerma. By c.1650 BC, Kerma had become densely populated and controlled a centralized state stretching from at least the First to the Fourth Cataracts. It was during the mid to latter part of the Second Intermediate Period of Egypt and during the Classic Period of Kerma that saw the apex of its wealth and power. Kerma was sacked in c.1500 BC, when the whole region became part of the Egyptian New Kingdom empire

Burj Al Fateh

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Tourist places in Sudan

        :National Museum

Sudan National Museum in Khartoum. Housing great historical artifacts and relics, museums and tourist attractions have been concerned about a point in 

recent years. 

Buhen and Semna Egyptian temple also has a great historic building, the appearance at the National Museum, as these two temples are situated in the museum field.

Port Sudan

Port Sudan was founded by the British in 1909 as the terminus of a railway linking the Red Sea to the Nile. It served as a new modern port to replace Sawakin. The railroad was used to transport the nation's cotton and sesame seeds, and grain sorghum, from the agriculturally rich areas in the Nile Valley to export markets.Port Sudan is known among tourists for its excellent scuba diving and beaches. Tourists as well as much larger number of Muslim pilgrims on their way to make their once-in-a-lifetime Hajj to Mecca, use Port Sudan as a starting point to cross the Red Sea to Jeddah in Saudi

sudan tourism

Sudan is the largest, yet one of the least visited, countries in Africa. Although several ongoing conflicts mean much of this vast nation is off limits, it is possible to travel in the Northeast, and parts of the south. Much of Middle East and Africa has a reputation for warmth and hospitality but Sudan is in a league of its own, so it is a joy to ride. It is common to be invited to stay at someone's house and rural Sudanese who never dream of eating in front of you without inviting you to join them. He talked all afternoon with a glass or five of tea is a serious national ritual, which extends to relations with the authorities. 
Sudan is as geographically diverse as it is culturally; in the north, the Nile flows through the eastern edge of the Sahara: the Nubian desert, the site of the ancient kingdoms of Kush and Meroe, and the land of the Seti. Here, some agriculture and farming modest supplements the staple crop of date palms. The East and West are mountainous regions, and much of the rest of the country consists of savannahs typical of much of sub-Saharan Central Africa. 
People in Sudan are actually very kind to all the few travelers who get there. People treat you as friendly as any other African country, so be prepared to get spontaneously invited to lunch or dinner. Most of the time people are very interested in you and who often are proud of their country and show hospitality. 
Sudan, like many other African countries, has many places of interest and tourist attractions. The country of Sudan has great natural gifts very attractive to the eye ..