Kerma Culture - Archaeology

Archaeology

20th century archaeology

When Kerma was first investigated, in the 1920s, George Reisner believed that it was originally the base - a fort - of an Egyptian governor and that these Egyptian rulers evolved into the independent monarchs of Kerma. Reisner's interpretation was based on the presence of inscribed Egyptian statues in the large burials, which he thought belonged to those named individuals. Moreover, in this period, few archaeologists credited black Africans with producing civilizations.

In later decades, scholars moved to the view that Kerma was a trading outpost of the Egyptians, being too small and far away from the known borders of ancient Egypt to be more directly linked to it.

However, in the past ten to fifteen years, excavations have revealed that Kerma City was much larger and more complex than previously assumed. It was also realized that the material culture and burial practices here are overwhelmingly local (Nubian) rather than Egyptian.

21st century archaeology

In 2003 Archaeologist Charles Bonnet heading a team of Swiss archaeologists excavating near Kerma discovered a cache of monumental black granite statues of the Pharaohs of the Nubian dynasty including Taharqa and Tanoutamon, the last two pharaohs of the 'Nubian' Dynasty, whose statues are described as "masterpieces that rank among the greatest in art history."