Medieval Nubia in a Transcultural Horizon: Art, Architecture, Epigraphy, Palazzo Grifoni Budini Gattai, Florence and Zoom, October 13, 2022
Kingdoms of medieval Nubia were erased from memory until the discovery of the Faras Cathedral in the 1960s by a team of Polish archaeologists. Spanning the sixth through the thirteenth centuries, the remains of these Christian kingdoms in lower Egypt and Sudan demonstrate sophisticated artistic, political and religious structures and practices. Excavations in Nubia since then have revealed a lost tradition of Greek epigraphy, wall painting, and monumental architecture that feature traces of liturgical poetry, royal portraiture, and a wide array of sacred figures. Despite this rich history and its broad transcultural horizon, Nubia’s astonishing artistic, epigraphic and archaeological traditions remain largely unknown to scholars outside of Nubiology.
In this interdisciplinary workshop, experts on medieval Nubian culture will present recent research to a community of scholars working broadly on premodern art history. Topics will range from issues of display and the historiography of Nubian art to costume and depictions of sacred authority. The workshop will also focus on how novel methodological approaches will better position Nubia within histories of medieval art in the global past and present.
This event will take place in a hybrid format. Advance registration is required.
Organizer: Ravinder Binning