The Kingdom of Alwa: the present state of question
Abstract
While archaeological research in the Sudan has continued from the beginning of this century until the present, it has generally been of an unbalanced nature in terms of geographical cover age. Al though the UNESCO Campaign resulted in a strong emphasis on the study of the cultural history of medieval Nubia, it was restricted largely to the extreme north of the Sudan, Lower Nubia. As a result, the kingdom of Alwa in Southern Nubia remains largely a neglected chapter in medieval Nubian studies. In fact, the Kingdom has been described by some authorities as politically and culturally inferior to its counterpart in the north, the kingdom of Dongola. This study represents an introductory chapter on the history and culture of the medieval kingdom of Alwa. Fundamental to the analysis presented in this thesis is the notion of the interrelationship of the cultural past with the present in the Sudan. In fact, I propose that some definitional aspects of the kingdom of Alwa were formative in respect of subsequent periods in the history of the area. The strategic location and long existence of this kingdom suggest that Alwa played a role of yet unrecognized significance in the history of medieval Nubia, and, later, the Sudan. The analysis which follows is not meant to be a definitive statement of Alwan cultural history, but rather a presentation which may stimilate an exchange of ideas and help to clarify issues. It is also hoped that this exploratory work will serve as an introduction to the history of Alwa and its people, to stimilate interest and to orient the uninitiated to this field of study.
Description
Bibliography: p. 229-242.
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Citation
Zarroug, M. E. (1982). The Kingdom of Alwa: the present state of question (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/15725