After almost a century of excavations in Nubia, an enormous bibliography about the area exists. Given the international character of the archaeological excavations and of the Salvage Campaign, these documents are scattered all around the world.

Library

A museum’s library - consisting of more than 2000 volumes - is already in place at the Nubia Museum in Aswan. It is making available material on Nubian cultural heritage and the museum collections to researchers and interested public.

Documentation Centre

In 2001, UNESCO decided to establish a Documentation Centre on Nubian Studies at the Nubia Museum (Recommendation 5 of the 12th Session of the Executive Committee). For this purpose, UNESCO is collecting publications and is attaining copies of documentation from the excavations and rescue actions undertaken in the framework of the Salvage Campaign (photos, drawings, reports, articles, etc).

The 14th session of the Executive Committee in 2004 recommended further to start a thorough documentation of Nubian monuments with a view to prepare a computerized database of monuments and archaeological sites of the Nubia region starting in Egypt with Philae, Kalabsha and Abu Simbel.

This portrayal of Nubia Documentation Centre shall serve as an important point of reference for everyone interested in studying Nubia, its ancient and living culture and people.

Ongoing activities

• Collection and duplication of documentation (audiovisual and reports/UNESCO publications) concerning the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia in Egypt and Sudan existing at UNESCO HQ archives to be provided to the Nubia Museum,
• Duplication of documentation (drawings, picture, texts, etc…) concerning the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia existing in different governmental and private local and foreign institutions in Egypt,
• Purchase of publications on Nubian studies and materials published by the foreign excavation missions in Nubia.

Planned activities