In contrast to the better-known African civilizations of Egypt and Ethiopia, knowledge of the Nubians has been victim of curtailing. Firstly, by the dearth of physical evidence; the remoteness of Nubian lands and ongoing conflict has for most purposes made difficult an attempt to lift the veil of the past. And secondly, the wide attention that Egyptology has received throughout the centuries has caused a "pro-Egyptian" view of the region, regarding the lands to the south as a secondary area under Egyptian influence instead of a proper culture by its own merits; a vision not commonly challenged or deeply analyzed until recent times. And so most of the sources are essentially the writings of northern rivals: from ancient Egyptian border wars to Muslim incursions, Nubia has always been seen a