Workshop
Medieval Nubia in a Transcultural Horizon:
Art, Architecture, Epigraphy
Organized by Ravinder Binning
Granite Capital, Church of the Granite Column; 7th-8th century CE; Old Dongola, Sudan (Photo: Dobrochna Zielińska)
Kingdoms of medieval Nubia were erased from memory until the discovery of the Faras Cathedral in the 1960s by a team of Polish archaeologists. Spanning the sixth through the thirteenth centuries, the remains of these Christian kingdoms in lower Egypt and Sudan demonstrate sophisticated artistic, political and religious structures and practices. Excavations in Nubia since then have revealed a lost tradition of Greek epigraphy, wall painting, and monumental architecture that feature traces of liturgical poetry, royal portraiture, and a wide array of sacred figures. Despite this rich history and its broad transcultural horizon, Nubia’s astonishing artistic, epigraphic and archaeological traditions remain largely unknown to scholars outside of Nubiology.
In this interdisciplinary workshop, experts on medieval Nubian culture will present recent research to a community of scholars working broadly on premodern art history. Topics will range from issues of display and the historiography of Nubian art to costume and depictions of sacred authority. The workshop will also focus on how novel methodological approaches will better position Nubia within histories of medieval art in the global past and present.
PROGRAM
10.30
Welcome - Gerhard Wolf (Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz - Max-Planck-Institut)
Opening Remarks - Ravinder Binning (Ohio State University)
INTRODUCTION
10.45-11.30 Dobrochna Zielińska (Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw)
“Introduction to Late Antique and Medieval Nubian Art”
SESSION I: POWER AND KINGSHIP
Chair: Sinem Casale
11.30-12.15 Karel C. Innemée (Faculty of Humanities, University of Amsterdam)
“The Visual Manifestation of Power and Authority in Christian Nubia”
12.15-13.00 Magdalena Łaptaś (History of Art Institute, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University)
“Apostles, Kings, and Archangels. Building a Royal Tradition through Painted Images in Medieval Nubia”
13.00-14.00 LUNCH FOR WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
SESSION II: TRANSCULTURAL CONNECTIONS
Chair: Vera-Simone Schulz
14.00-14.45 Andrea M. Achi (Assistant Curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
“Wood and Ivory Boxes in Late Antique Nubia”
14.45-15.30 Gertrud J.M. van Loon (Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw)
“Inspiration and Influences: Nubian Church Decoration and Its Relationship with Egypt”
15.30-15.45 COFFEE BREAK
SESSION III: ARCHAEOLOGY ANG EPIGRAPHY
Chair: Ravinder Binning
15.45-16.30 Jacques van der Vliet (Universiteit Leiden / Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen / NINO Leiden)
“Text, Image and Performance in Medieval Nubia”
16.30-17.15 Adam Łajtar (Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw)
“The Literacy of Christian Nubia”
17.15-18.00 CLOSING REMARKS AND DISCUSSION
13 – 13 ottobre 2022
This event will take place in a hybrid format.
Venue
Palazzo Grifoni Budini Gattai
Via dei Servi 51
50122 Firenze, Italia
To participate in person please email sinem.casale@khi.fi.it to reserve a seat.
To participate online please register in advance via Zoom: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEoceyqpzotH9A0WpUlMyi5GdLcIS5KAqmDAfter registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Avviso
Questo evento viene documentato fotograficamente e/o attraverso riprese video. Qualora non dovesse essere d’accordo con l’utilizzo di immagini in cui potrebbe essere riconoscibile, da parte del Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz a scopo di documentazione degli eventi e di pubbliche relazioni (p.e. social media) la preghiamo gentilmente di comunicarcelo.