THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR NUBIAN STUDIES

Founded in 1972 in Warsaw, the Society provides a focus for those interested in the archaeology and history of Nubia and Sudan.

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About ISNS

Modern Nubiology was born in the early 1960s, when an international salvage campaign was launched by UNESCO to save the monuments of Lower Nubia being flooded by the construction of the Aswan High Dam and the creation of Lake Nasser. This campaign brought together scholars from over 25 countries from around the world and revealed the richness and cultural diversity of Nubian civilisation.

Blogs

This page hosts the personal and project blogs of members of the International Society for Nubian Studies. Here you can find the latest results of research conducted in the Middle Nile Valley.

Abasseya Project The Abasseya archaeological site, nowadays a plaza within a neighborhood of Karima, is located north-west from Jebel Barkal. The structures found in Abasseya would form of a Meroitic religious complex dated in the Second century BC.

Old Dongola Expedition Dongola lies on the eastern bank of the Nile, halfway between the Third and Fourth Cataracts. It functioned for more than 1500 years, from the erection of the citadel at the end of the 5th century to the abandonment of the area in the 20th century. It was the capital of the kingdom of Makuria, and a seat of mekk of Dongola in the Funj Period.

Soba Expedition Soba was a large city on the bank of the Blue Nile, with churches, monasteries, fine houses, beautiful gardens, and a district inhabited by Muslims. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Alwa (approx. 5th/6th century to the beginning of the 16th century).

News

25.04.2025

Magdalena Łaptaś

With deep sorrow, we say farewell to Dr. Magdalena Łaptaś — an art historian and archaeologist, a distinguished expert in Byzantine art and Christian heritage in Nubia and Egypt.She was professionally affiliated with the Institute of Art History at Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw. For many years, she also worked at the National Museum […]

08.04.2025

ISNS Letter to Minister of Culture and Information

Dear ISNS Colleagues, The ISNS Board is concerned with safeguarding Sudanese and global heritage and recognises the urgent necessity to assist with and address issues engendered by the recent conflicts. Towards this end, attached please find a letter from the Society’s President and Board sent to His Excellency Khalid Ali Aleisir, Minister of Culture and Information, Sudan. Sincerely, Julie

08.04.2025

African Archaeology Review Paper

Dear Colleagues,The following paper has just been published in African Archaeology Review and is available online. It may be of interest to you. Please address any questions to the authors.All the bestJulie Bashir, Mohamed & Claudia Näser. Archaeology and Development: Post-Conflict Rebuilding of the Archaeology and Heritage Sector in Sudan. Afr Archaeol Rev (2025). https://rdcu.be/eewvr

24.02.2025

Nubica – New publication

Dear Colleagues, Nubica, Studies in the History and Epigraphy of the Middle Nile Region in Christian Times is now available from Peeters publishers and may be of interest to you. See https://www.peeters-leuven.be Further contact details and information may be found in the attached *pdf. Sincerely Julie

Events

27.07/2021

15th International Conference for Nubian Studies – 29th August – 4th September 2022

The Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw will host the 15th International Conference for Nubian Studies in Warsaw from August 29th to September 4th, 2022. Every four years, the ICNS conference brings together archaeologists, epigraphists, historians, and other scholars working on the ancient and modern history of Sudan and Nubia, from prehistory to […]