Deeper Insight into Nubia

Hi everyone! I can't believe it's already week 2! I know I'm writing my post earlier than usual, but I'll be leaving tomorrow for a Greek Folk Dance competition in San Diego so I get to update everybody earlier. These past weeks have been so much fun, especially since I have more time to read and dance without the dread of mounds of homework!



I'm pleased to say that my week spent at the BONE lab has been awesome! As for how my days are going, I have been cleaning and labeling more bones for this week. All the skeletal remains from burial 5 have been cleaned and labeled so now I'm helping with cleaning and labeling skeletal remains from burial 6. As another precaution, I will be showing photos of human remains that some people may find graphic. Without further ado, below are photos of the last tray of cleaned remains of burial five and skeletal remains of burial 6!

 Besides cleaning and labeling bones, I have also been learning a lot from Annie and Dr. Baker about the different periods in Nubia and the distinct burial types of these periods. As I was labeling bones yesterday, Annie was telling me that in the Kerma period bodies were usually buried in a flexed position with the bodies usually facing north. In the Kerma period, there were signs that Northern Sudan was less arid and had a wetter climate. Also, Nubia at this time was an agro-pastoralist society where people highly respected cattle. This agro-pastoral influence can be seen with remains wrapped in cow leather.

Today, after cleaning some bones, I had the chance to look at field forms and add data to spreadsheets where I can hopefully get some statistics using R later. Reading through the forms has really been eye-opening since I got to view observations written by archaeologists in the field and the forms still had Nubian sand on them! The burial site I've been inputting the data for is from the Kerma period. Just as a side note, in contrast to Kerma period burials which involved tumuli of scattered rocks and a shaft, Christian period burials involved chambers where bodies were buried in an extended position with the head facing west and feet facing east. From looking at the field records, it looks as if almost every burial shows signs of looting. Looting often means that skeletons are in bad condition and some bones are probably missing.



On a brighter note, every Wednesday, all of Dr. Baker's interns have discussions with her on articles she sent us. For today's discussion, we interns read Dr. Baker's "The Fourth Cataract and Beyond" as well as "Biocultural Investigations of Ancient Nubia".  We discussed the political changes between the Kerma and Christian period which involved the moving of the capital in Napatan to Meroe. In the late Meroitic period, there is an increase in interpersonal violence as archaeologists find evidence of increased trauma in the remains from this period. Dr. Baker thought that perhaps it was because there was an increase of nomadic incursions from the north. As a result, more fortresses were built, like the one the skeleton in the green trunk was from!

Another interesting discussion we had was on the nicknames that archaeologists give skeletal remains. Dr. Baker and Annie affectionately call a male skeletal remain that was pierced through his sternum by an arrow "Pierce". Also, Dr. Baker and Annie call a female skeletal remain that shows signs of healed trauma which includes multiple stabbings, concussion, and a badly healed hip fracture "Car Crash Lady". It was interesting to hear how some archaeologists find giving skeletons these nicknames very disrespectful. However, Dr. Baker brought up the point that by giving these remains nicknames, we are giving them a character that we can relate to as people rather than as 03-01 Burial 5.

I hope you guys like my Week 2 post! Thank you for joining me on this journey to learn more about Nubia!