20 mei 2025 | Sunken in the Lake

The Nubian fortresses are a series of fortified settlements that vary in size and nature, built by the ancient Egyptians primarily during the Middle Kingdom across Lower Nubia and around the Second Cataract. The construction of the High Dam at Aswan in the 1960s submerged many of these fortresses beneath the waters of Lake Nasser/Nubia. Despite the significant alteration of the historic Nubian landscape and the resulting loss of the fortresses that once crowned the banks of the river, early exploratory and archaeological efforts, rescue excavations, the study of related artefacts from the region, and more recent research initiatives enhance our understanding of the history and transformative nature of these ancient Egyptian frontier sites.

This lecture will offer an overview of the history of these sites during Pharaonic times and their modern archaeological exploration, emphasising the research areas covered by the author in his recent work: from small clay artefacts to the massive walled enclosures of the Nubian fortresses.