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Qasr Ibrim (; Meroitic: Pedeme; Old Nubian: Silimi; Coptic language: ⲡⲣⲓⲙ Prim; Latin: Primis) is an archaeological site in Lower Nubia, located in the modern country of Egypt. The site has a long history of occupation, ranging from as early as the eighth century BC to AD 1813, and was an economic, political, and religious center. Originally it was a major city perched on a cliff above the Nile, but the flooding of Lake Nasser after the construction of the Aswan High Dam – with the related International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia – transformed it into an island and flooded its outskirts. Qasr Ibrim is the only major archaeological site in Lower Nubia to have survived the Aswan Dam floods. (2025). 9789077922309, David Brown Book Company. ISBN 9789077922309 Both prior to and after the floods, it has remained a major site for archaeological investigations.
Egypt's influence in Nubia began around 2,000 BC, when Egyptian invaded and claimed sovereignty over the area. Many Egyptian artifacts and evidence of Egyptian architecture have been found at Qasr Ibrim. The earliest inscription at the site is a stela, a stone or wooden slab, from the reign of Amenhotep I. The stela was found in a now-ruined Christian Byzantine cathedral at Qasr Ibrim where it had been reused in one of the church's crypts. The stela is now located in the British Museum.
The site was partly rebuilt "under the prefecture of Gaius Petronius during Augustus' reign." Qasr Ibrim played a key role in Rome's defense of the Aswan region, and was likely held until AD 100 or later. The fortress, constructed by Roman military engineers, was the strongest in the Nile Valley at this time.
Two churches remain on the site. The Taharqa Church was most likely built between 542 and 580, which would make it one of Nubia's earliest churches. Like many of the earliest churches in Nubia, it would have been constructed within the walls of the already present temples. Qasr Ibrim's cathedral was built later, though the date of construction in unclear. Archaeologists currently believe it was constructed in the first half of the eighth century.
The last known Nubians bishop of Faras, Timothy, actually resided at Qasr Ibrim. He was buried in the cathedral there (c. 1375) and two scrolls were discovered in his tomb., p. 16., p. 168.
There are believed to be three phases of agricultural history, the Napatan occupation, the Roman occupation, and the Meroitic periods. Listed below are the main crops that have been identified in each phase:
Napatan (mid 8th - mid 7th century BC):
Roman (25 BC - mid 1st century AD):
Meroitic (AD 100–300):
The site has also revealed many archaeozoological remains, though they have not been as heavily studied as the botanical remains. Evidence of a heavily sheep and goat based economy has been found, along with large numbers of juvenile cattle. These cattle remains suggest a meat- and milk-based economy. The cattle could also have been used for religious ceremonies at the Meroitic Temple. The ritually-deposited remains of a domesticated chicken were also found below a house floor, and date to the post-Meroitic period (late 5th to early 6th centuries AD).
The conditions at Qasr Ibrim have also preserved a large number of documents in nine different languages or scripts. This includes hieroglyphics, Demotic, Meroitic, Greek, Latin, Coptic, Old Nubian, Arabic, and Turkish. Earlier documents were written on papyrus, though parchment was the preferred material for religious texts. Paper was not common writing material in Nubia until the twelfth century. A variety of texts were found, including personal letters and religious documents. These documents show the significance of Qasr Ibrim as a frontier society, and the center of a vast trade network.
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