Old Nubian is an important ancient African writing system that played a central role in the Christian kingdoms of medieval Nubia. Its texts offer a window into the religious, administrative, and cultural life of Nubia, contributing to our understanding of African history and the spread of Christianity in the region. Old Nubian is one of the oldest written languages of sub-Saharan Africa. It was used from approximately the 8th to the 15th centuries CE.
It was the written language of the Christian Nubian kingdoms, primarily in what is now northern Sudan and southern Egypt. Old Nubian is significant for its role in documenting the history, religion, and culture of medieval Nubia.
It uses an alphabetic script derived from the Coptic alphabet, which itself is based on the Greek alphabet with additional characters from Demotic. Old Nubian comprises 24 letters, including vowels and consonants, with some letters borrowed directly from the Coptic script and others adapted to represent Nubian sounds.
Old Nubian texts were inscribed on various materials, including parchment, stone, pottery, and papyrus. Many manuscripts have been found in monasteries and churches, often written in black ink with occasional red ink for emphasis.
Inscriptions in Old Nubian are found on monuments, tombstones, and church walls, often commemorating important events or individuals. They serve as historical records of Nubian society and its interactions with neighboring regions.
Old Nubian is a testament to the rich cultural and religious heritage of medieval Nubia. It highlights the role of Nubia as a center of Christian civilization in Africa and its contributions to the broader Christian world.
