Ancient Nubia: Excavating Treasures of the Nile

Ancient Nubia has a long and glorious past, but it is frequently eclipsed in the public imagination by its northern neighbor, Egypt. Ancient Nubia: Excavating Treasures of the Nile, from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, brings into the limelight the Kingdom of Kush, an important civilization in the Middle Nile Valley, introducing visitors to its powerful kings and royal women and the materials excavated from their tombs and pyramids during the Harvard University – Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition more than 100 years ago.

Stunning displays highlight the longevity of this almost forgotten kingdom through its three main historical periods spanning almost 3,000 years, speaking to its cultural continuity and adaptation as well as its historical and political connections to pharaonic Egypt.

Visitors can learn about this other powerful kingdom on the Nile from an archaeological perspective with hands-on and digital interactives. A special display highlights a connection to the NCMA’s very own Nubiologist and features recently donated Egyptian objects as comparatives to the Nubian ones in the exhibition.