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Nubians in the era of the Old Kingdom of Egypt
T. n. Svaleva
The name Nahsiu is derived from the geographical name Nahsi. In the times of the Old Kingdom and the First Intermediate Period, the name referred to the entire population living south of the First Nile Waterfall. During military campaigns and expeditions, the Egyptians were able not only to seize new territories and collect tribute, but also take the local population to Egypt. There were prisoners of war as well as so-called disarmed Nubians, who surrendered willingly. The term Nehseu-hotep nhsjw-htp, peaceful Nubians, symbolically identified with archers, was often derived from the unarmed Nubians.
The military skills of Nubian archers were highly valued by the Egyptians. They were recruited from the various Nubian regions into the Egyptian army (TST), an auxiliary military division (C, W). They were used as guards on the borders, on campaigns, and in the Pharaoh’s palace, the capital, and other Egyptian cities. In the times of the Old Kingdom and the First Intermediate Period (unlike the Middle Kingdom), military divisions actually consisted of foreigners, which was noted by H. Your goodness.
The social status of the "peaceful Nubians nhsjw-htp" is described in four phrases in the Dahshur Royal Order of Piopian I (6th Dynasty). They were prevented from harvesting crops in King Senefru’s settlements, from tracking down fleeing foreign slaves whose masters did not have identification documents, and “peaceful Nubians” were prevented from working as priests and receiving sacrifices. The peaceful Nubians were in a lower position than the Egyptian nobility, who lost the right to use agricultural land in King Senefru's two settlements by royal order. It appears that part of these lands was used in the past to “feed” the “peaceful Nubians.” Unlike the Egyptian nobility, the "peaceful Nubians" did not have serfs (mrt) to till the land; The "peaceful Nubian men" were likely servants of Egyptian nobility. According to the Nubian stele dating from the Eleventh Dynasty (of the Gebelein), the servants could have been Egyptians. For this reason, the “peaceful Nubians” have the right to claim income from sacrifices and are entitled to practice religious rituals in the two aforementioned settlements.
One of the statements in the Royal Order of Dahshur affirms the unconditional rights of the Hintjw-š, as permanent residents of the two settlements, and their right to cultivate the land and harvest the crop, to serve as priests and to take sacrifices, unlike the inhabitants of the other settlements. This indicates that the peaceful Nubians, like the Egyptian nobility, were not permanent residents of the two settlements designated for the funerary cult of King Sneferu. However, the presence of settlements of Nubian families is attested by the inscription of the “Prime of Upper Egypt” Sabni (Sixth Dynasty), in which the word “Nubians” (nhsjw) is written in a specific position in the form of men and women, not archers.
Settlement of Nubian warriors (nhsjw) buried near Gebelein, dated to the 11th Dynasty. Obelisks of buried Nubian warriors, published by H. Fisher indicates that extended Nubian families were permanent residents of that area and had many servants and valuable household possessions. They were buried according to Egyptian burial customs near the city in which they served, according to Fisher. They appear to have been city guards, forming a conscript squad (d'mw) with trained dogs. Wooden statues of Nubian archers from the Eleventh Dynasty in the burial chamber of Nomarchus Mesehti indicate that Nubian guards were also recruited in other Egyptian cities and possibly contributed to the conflict between the governorates.
Nubian prisoners of war (nhsjw) were domestic servants of kings, temples, and nobility. They performed hard physical labor (mashing crops), and were used as shepherds or servants and followers of their masters.
The ethnic name Madjay (md΄jw) is derived from the geographical term Md in the Middle Kingdom. For this reason, the general description of Nubians was referred to as an ethnic name. Posner identified, by resorting to the use of evidence from the Middle Kingdom, the presence of the settled Nahasians on the bank of the Nile (Lower and Middle Nubia), and the nomadic Medjay in the Lower Nubia desert.
T.N.Savelyeva
The name nhsjw derives from toponym Nhsj. In the Old Kingdom and First Intermediate periods it designated the entire population living south of the First Cataract. During military campaigns and expeditions the Egyptians not only seized new territories and collected tribute, but also took the local population to Egypt. There were prisoners of war and the so-called pacified Nubians, who surrendered of their own will. The term nhsjw-htp, peaceful Nubians, with determinative of archers, is probably derived from pacified Nubians.
Military skills of Nubian archers were highly estimated by the Egyptians. They were recruited in various Nubian regions to the Egyptian army (tst) an auxiliary military detachments (c,w). They were used as guards on frontiers, in expeditions, at the Pharaoh palace, in the capital and some other Egyptian cities. In the Old Kingdom and First Intermediate periods (in contrast with the Middle Kingdom), military detachments were actually made up of foreigners, as noted by H.Goedicke.
The social status of "peaceful Nubians" (Nhsjw-htp) is described by four clauses of the Dahshur royal order of Piopi I (Vi Dynasty). They prohibited them to gather crops from two pyramid settlement of King Snefru, to chase the run-away foreign slaves whose masters did not have certificates and the men of "Peaceful Nubians" were prohibited to ser4ve as priests and get offerings. Peaceful Nubians had a lower status to the Egyptian nobles who lost the right to use the farmland of two King Snefru's settlements by royal order. It seems that earlier a section of those lands was used to "feed" "Peaceful Nubians". In contrast with the Egyptian nobles, "Peaceful Nubians" did not have serfs (mrt) to farm land; "Men of Peaceful Nubians" might have been their servants. According to Nubian stelae of the XI Dynasty (from Gebelain), their servants could be the Egyptians. For this reason, "men of Peaceful Nubians" could claim income from offerings and perform cult services in above settlements.
One of the final clauses of the Dahshur royal order confirms the unconditional rights of the hntjw-š, as permanent residents of settlements, to farm land and gather the crop, to perform as priests and recieve offerings in contrast with the residents of other settlements. This suggests that Peaceful Nubians, just as the Egyptian nobles, were not permanent registered residents of these settlement who were servicing the funeral cult of King Snefru. But the existence of Nubian family settlements is evidenced by an inscription of the "chief of the Upper Egypt" Sabni (VI Dynasty), in which the word "Nubians (nhsjw) is written with the determinative of men and women, not the archers.
The settlement of Nubian warriors (nhsjw) buried near Gebelain, is dated to the XI Dynasty. The stelae of dead Nubian warriors, published by H.Fischer, suggest that extended Nubian families were permanent residents of that area and had many servants and rich households. They were buried in the Egyptian tradition near the city to which they had served, according to Fischer. It seems that they were city guards, making the detachments of recruites (d'mw) with tracking dogs. Wooden figurines of Nubian archers of the XI Dynasty in the burial chamber of Nomarchus Mesehti suggest that Nubian guards were also recruited in other Egyptian cities and probably participated in the internicine strife of the nomes.
The Nubian prisoners of war (nhsjw) were household slaves of kings, temples and nobles. They were doing hard physical work (the crushing of grain), used as sheperds or servants, followers and housekeepers permanently escorting their masters.
The ethnic name majai (md΄jw) was derived from the toponym Md in the Middle Kingdom. For this reason, the general designation of the Nubians (nhsjw) was reduced to an ethnic name. Making use of the Middle Kingdom evidence, G.Posner localized the settled nhsjw to the Riverside (Lower and Middle) Nubia, and the nomadic md;jw to the Lower Nubian Desert.