User:Ben arnold6/Tombos (Nubia)

Introduction

Tombos is an ancient Nubian site that dates back to the early 18th dynasty (1500 C.E.). It is located in modern day Northern Sudan and marked the boundary between Egyptian and Nubian cultures.

Settlement Finds

Excavation of the settlements has proved tricky due to ongoing development, but some substantial finds have been made. A structure with a support beam and high hanging floor suggests that houses contained 2 floors or patios. The artifact finds within the settlement seem to more closely relate to Nubian styles than Egyptian. Nubian pottery can be easily distinguished from Egyptian based on it's mat pressed surface treatment, which is abundant at Tombos. An impressive wall and trench (approx. 230 x 215 m) encompasses the entire site, larger than any wall excavated in southern Nubia; suggesting it was the largest, northern administrative center in Nubia. The wall was abandoned and reused frequently despite the ongoing habitation of the site.

Burial Practices

The tombs and burial practices reflect more closely to Egyptian practices than Nubian. Social stratification throughout the society is pronounced throughout their burial practices. Middle-class citizens can expect to be buried in a wooden or ceramic coffin, surrounded by small amounts of pottery holding various goods. They were also buried with small figurines that resembled gods and scarabs that would refer to the Egyptian Pharaoh in charge when they passed. Tombs were reserved for the elites, they resembled mini pyramids (3 found on the site) and closely followed Egyptian burial practices. It is likely that people at Tombos purchased 'blank' figurines and had scribes carve the face of loved ones when they passed, a common practice in ancient Egypt. However, Tombos doesn't just have links to Egypt. Exotic goods located within burial remains, such as pot shards and ivory beads, indicate long distance trading with Mycenaean peoples.

Excavation

The site was excavated by a UCSB-Purdue joint team over the span of 13 seasons. The team excavated the settlement area of the site but spent most of their time excavating the cemetery. The team analyzed artifacts located within the burial grounds to determine the time period in which this site was occupied, along with the help of radiocarbon dating. Early reports suggested the site became occupied during Thutmose III / Hatshepsut rule which is decades later than previously thought. Archaeological evidence throughout the cemetery marked the beginning of occupation of Tombos around the mid 18th dynasty up until the 25th dynasty (a span of about 1000 years).

Ethical Considerations

Many legal considerations need to be taken many months prior before an any archaeological dig can begin. Depending on which country the excavation takes place in determines a great amount of these restrictions. For example, In the United States NAGPRA (Native America Graves Protection and Reparation Act) restricts the excavation of Native America burials and gives the First Nations the ability to determine how they want to conserve the archaeological finds of their ancestors. Therefore, if Tombos was located in the United States the excavation most likely never would have happened. However, the further you go back in time the tricker it gets for Indigenous groups (even in the Americas) to prove their attachment to the land.