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1. Napatan Period (ca. 900-ca. 295 b.c.) |
The Nubian's, like the Egyptians, worshiped a number of gods. The central god of the Nubian
pantheon was the Egyptian god Amon; many of the Napatan and Meroitic kings bore names
compounded with his name, such as "Amani-n ataki-lebte" and "Amani-bakhi". Amon
originally was a god worshiped locally at Thebes in Egypt; he was known as "The Hidden
One," and was believed to supply the breath of life. The New Kingdom pharaoh Ramesses II
strengthened the worship of Amon, already established in Nubia, when he built the large
temple to Amon at Jebel Barkal. Nubian religious beliefs during the Kushite monarchy will be
more completely discussed in the Meroitic Period.