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

04.06.2023

ISNS statement on the attack on the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum

The academic community of the International Society for Nubian Studies condemns the attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum. Acts of destruction involving the outstanding Sudanese cultural heritage are unacceptable. They affect the heart and soul of the Sudanese people, robbing them of their historical legacy and identity. […]

23.05.2023

BORDERSCAPE Seminar Series

Dear ISNS members, Attached please find information concerning the forthcoming online BORDERSCAPE Project seminar. It will be held Thursday 25 May at 16.00 CEST on MSTeams. Please address any questions to the organisers.

08.05.2023

“Life in Ancient Nubia: Bioarchaeological Perspectives” lecture series

This May, the PCMA Seminar hosts a speaker series focused on bioarchaeological perspectives on life in ancient Nubia. The series, which will be held online over three consecutive weeks, is organized and hosted by Dr. Robert Stark. https://pcma.uw.edu.pl/en/2023/05/03/save-the-date-life-in-ancient-nubia-bioarchaeological-perspectives/

27.04.2023

ISNS statement on Sudan

The academic community of International Society for Nubian Studies stands with the civilians of Sudan torn by military conflict between rival forces. We express our solidarity with those directly affected and those whose family, friends, colleagues and neighbours have suffered as a result of the violence. In these tragic times, our thoughts remain with those who […]

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 […]