Nubian Firsts

   The tradition of the pharaoh began not in Egypt, but in Nubia. Furthermore, Nubia developed an international trade with other nations in Africa and the Middle East long before Egypt had. “Egypt needed Nubia more than Nubia needed Egypt.” Even though Egypt was able to produce their own pottery, they preferred Nubian pottery to their own and adopted it into their culture. Even religious objects like the small fertility figurine were found in parts of Egypt.

Nubians were active in pottery making as early as 8,000 BCE. By 6000 BCE, Nubians were domesticating animals. “The Egyptians were late arrivers in the ancient trade networks, because Nubia had already established trade.” Much of the development of Nubia was unknown to Egypt until the Nubians moved north into Egypt around 5,000 BCE and spread their genes, culture, belief systems and technological advances with the inhabitants of Egypt.

--Larry Ross. Nubia and Egypt: 10,000 BCE to 400 AD, p. 122-123, 147, 195