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An intimate historical portrait of the women of Nubia and their unique house decorations including over 400 full color and black and white photographs
Between 1960 and 1970 the building of the Aswan Dam led to the creation of a lake that drowned the Nubian villages of Upper Egypt. The Nubian population were forced to leave their villages and hamlets and relocated to the north. The tradition of Nubian house decoration was discontinued after this traumatic relocation, the adverse impacts of which are still manifest today.
In this rich account of Nubian women and their house decorations, Armgard Goo-Grauer offers a beautifully photographed narrative of the way the Nubians of Upper Egypt lived before their villages were destroyed. She paints an intimate portrait of women engaged in household tasks, preparing feasts, and performing in the female world of religion and spirituality, and illustrates how decoration of the home fulfilled the purposes of beautification, representation, and protection. The art form, which was unique in the area, covered a wide spectrum of motifs and styles—plants, animals, humans, designs, patterns, and daily objects. Many paintings were embedded in Nubian folk beliefs; and were intended to provide blessing or ban the evil eye. However, they also contained contemporary influences and aspirations of women, offering an exceptional window into the mindset of Nubian women before 1964, who maintained the Nubian language and traditions and achieved a remarkable degree of self‑determination.
"Colors of Nubia is a joyous celebration of Nubian creativity and a beautifully photographed account of the way the Nubians of southern Egypt lived, showcasing the artistically and culturally unique art of women's house decoration. A superb book."—Anne M. Jennings, University of California, Riverside
“An original study of Nubian women’s art, this book represents a scholarly ethnographic and historical study of their paintings and a personal account of the author’s travels and experiences. An important contribution to original scholarship.”—Angelika Jakobi, University of Cologne
"This book represents a genuine milestone in Nubian studies. It offers a significant and lasting contribution to our understanding and documentation of Nubian history, society, and experience and will occupy a distinguished place among key references on Egyptian Nubia for many years to come. It deserves to be widely read, appreciated, and recognized for the valuable contribution it makes to Nubian studies."—Maher Habbob, author of Nubian Proverbs (Fadijja/Mahas)
Introduction Encounter with Nubia in the 1960s and return in the 2000s
Chapter 1. Life in the Nubian villages before 1964
Chapter 2. The Realm of Women
Chapter 3. The Nubian house in the 1960s
Chapter 4. characteristics of house decoration and wall paintings
Chapter 5. The motifs of wall painting
Chapter 6. Nubia after 1964
Conclusion
Appendix
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Terms
Spelling of Kenzi words
Quoted Nubian proverbs
Kenzi-English wordlists referring to house decoration and wall painting
Nubian place names
Bibliography
Notes