Sudan Ancient Kingdom [Hardcover]

Dietrich Wilding (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 1997

In association with the Institute du Monde Arabe, Paris, and the Kunsthalle, Munich.

The culture of the ancient Sudanese and Nubian Kingdoms is chronicled in this groundbreaking exhibition catalog.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Today's largest Arab country, Sudan starts above the confluence of the White and Blue Nile and is situated where Egypt and the rest of Africa converge. Experts calculate that a culture began there more than 6000 years ago, which emerged as the Nile's richest lands and rivaled that of the great Egypt downriver. An international team of scholars has pulled an impressive amount of early kingdom artifacts and treasures together that demonstrate how advanced and prolific a culture it was. Curator Wildung created this exhibition catalog for an exhibition that traveled to Paris, Munich, and northern Europe. Much of the art form seems to parallel that of Lower Egypt with good reason, since Egyptians dominated the peoples of the region for centuries. Sudan possesses, among other things, 223 pyramids. The real interest is in the mix of Nubian and other central African influences. The work has large and beautiful photographs and illustrations; the text has been translated from the French and German editions. Recommended for libraries with African art collections.?David Nudo, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Flammarion (April 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2080136372
• ISBN-13: 978-2080136374
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #703,664 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful gift for anyone interested in Sudan or the Nile, January 27, 1999

By 

Michael Kevane (San Jose, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sudan Ancient Kingdom (Hardcover)

This beautiful `coffeetable' book is something every Sudan scholar should take a look at, perhaps once a month? The book illustrates and catalogs an exhibit at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, and goes from Neolithic gravesites to the Christian era of Meroe. Anyone who doubted the complexity of prehistoric Nubian society will be convinced that here was an extremely interesting and complex society. The artisanship evident in the jewelry, construction of temples, and pottery, is stunningly skilled. If you can't justify buying it for yourself, give it as a gift to a friend.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book despite inaccuracies and racial bias, February 10, 2004

By 

icebergslims "icebergslims" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sudan Ancient Kingdom (Hardcover)

The book convers a vast history from the beginning of the Khartoum Mesolithic and Neolithic to the unfolding of the Arab invasion of the Sudan. Through each chapter readers will find out more information about Sudanese history. All the leading experts in the field of historical and archeological reserch from Charles Bonnet to Timothy Kendal.
Not only does this book cover Sudanese history,but also accomplishments of the Nubians. In the past various books have tried to overshawdow Nubia with using the ''Eurocentric'' implications of strictly Egyptian influce. In this book,however,it shows indigenous relgious existed well before the absorption of Egyptian relgious deities like Amun. In fact,there is proper evidence that the deity Amun,itself,might have been based off a Nubian deity called Amani.

Despite the shinning qualities of the book,many bias of long dead scholarship seems to rear it's ugly head. Jean Lecant tries his hardest to argue based off tomb scenes of Huy that the figures depicted are not streotypical ''true negroes'' Lecant fails to observe the diversity of Africans and that phenotypical traits like noses are influced by adaptation of climes not intermixture with caucasoids. Lecant unfortunatley still clings on to old outdated anthropology that clearly demonstrates his ignorance.

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful gift for anyone interested in Sudan or the Nile, January 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sudan Ancient Kingdom (Hardcover)

This beautiful `coffeetable' book is something every Sudan scholar should take a look at, perhaps once a month? The book illustrates and catalogs an exhibit at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, and goes from Neolithic gravesites to the Christian era of Meroe. Anyone who doubted the complexity of prehistoric Nubian society will be convinced that here was an extremely interesting and complex society. The artisanship evident in the jewelry, construction of temples, and pottery, is stunningly skilled. If you can't justify buying it for yourself, give it as a gift to a friend.