The Historical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Nubia covers the period from the Paleolithic, all the periods of ancient Nubia (Predynastic, Kerma, Dynasty XXV, Napatan, Meroitic, Post-Meroitic) and to the end of medieval Christianity in Nubia (Sudan). This resource focuses on Nubian history through a Nubian perspective, rather than on the more common Egypto-centrism perspective, and the coverage is based on the latest and best archaeological and epigraphic evidence. Newly created maps of the general area and its specific regions and place names and a photospread showing important related features of the region are included. A detailed chronology provides a timeline of historical events, and an introductory narrative shapes the overall history and leads to the main body of the work in the form of a cross-referenced dictionary. The descriptive entries cover the main features of the region in the various periods that are key not only to Nubian events, but also to the important interactions they had with Egypt to the north. Nine appendices and an extensive bibliography conclude this work. Lobban has been teaching Nubian studies in undergraduate classrooms for thirty years, and this book is a product of his hands-on experiences as well as extensive anthropological fieldwork and travel in Sudanese and Egyptian Nubia.

"...one of the dictionary's strengths is the author's insight, present throughout. Entries exhibit a fair amount of interpretation, many with qualifiers such as 'was presumed to be semi-sedentary' or 'may or may not have been the true lineal descendant of', which gives a broader indication of the state of Nubian studies. By such phrasing the reader is made aware of debated issues and in many cases on which side the author stands....Ancient and Medieval Nubia will serve both students and scholars, particularly those who are not Nubian specialists." - Journal of African History

"Richard Lobban provides an impressively wide-ranging and comprehensive overview of Nubian history and archaeology that spans the Paleolithic through the medieval Christian era, including the beginnings of Islam. He also incorporates a large number of relevant Egyptian topics, very appropriate given the long history of interaction between the two regions....Historical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Nubia is a very useful starting point for inquiries about pre-Islamic Nubia. Lobban's work is impressively comprehensive in reach; most of the entries are fine and many are excellent...Lobban provides Africanists and other scholars interested in Nubia with a very useful resource..." - International Journal of African Historical Studies

"Overall this volume belongs in all research, university, and college libraries as well as in central county and city library systems. Its material will help readers see the complexities of ancient history and understand how these ancient civilizations relate to recent history." - American Reference Books Annual

"Recommended. General and academic collections." - CHOICE

"...not only a useful dictionary on this fascinating civilization, but also an excellent introduction to its history, life, and impact upon other civilizations of its day....for those institutions supporting the study of ancient Egypt or African history, it will be a welcome addition to an area lacking in good reference sources." - Reference and User Services Quarterly

"The significance of this work is exceptional..." - Sudan-L