The Kelsey Museum’s archaeological projects in Sudan and Egypt just received a development grant from the University of Michigan Humanities Collaboratory for a project entitled “Nubian Lives, Nubian Heritage.” The development grant will support a number of faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates in discussions and research about heritage and contemporary culture in Nubia —southern Egypt and northern Sudan. This development grant will lead to an opportunity to apply for a large grant (up to $500,000) to put these ideas into practice.
The project grew out of a conversation between assistant professor of anthropology Yasmin Moll, who is working on an ethnographic film about Nubian cultural activism in Egypt, and Geoff Emberling and Suzanne Davis of the Kelsey, who have been working on a community heritage project at the ancient royal pyramid cemetery of El-Kurru in northern Sudan. Kelsey curator Janet Richards will also contribute her knowledge of Nubian heritage in Egypt. Other faculty team members are Amal Fadlalla (Women’s Studies), Andrew Shryock (Anthropology), Michael Fahy (Education), and Howard Tsai (International Institute).