Written in conjunction with our newest special exhibition and edited by exhibition co-curators Geoff Emberling and Suzanne Davis, the Kelsey's newest publication, Graffiti as Devotion along the Nile and Beyond, presents the site of El-Kurru and its graffiti in historical context.

Eight chapters by international scholars discuss the history of Kush, ancient graffiti at El-Kurru, and graffiti at other sites in Kush and Egypt and beyond. Other chapters discuss the rock art of Sudan and methods used for the conservation and documentation of graffiti at El-Kurru. The volume concludes with a photo essay of the contemporary Nile Valley practice of “hajj images” that commemorate Muslim pilgrimage, and an annotated catalog of graffiti from the site of El-Kurru.

Written to engage non-specialist readers, the book will be of interest to archaeologists, ancient and medieval historians, and art historians working in the Nile Valley and beyond, and to a broader community interested in these subjects.

You can purchase the book from the Kelsey Museum gift shop or order it from our distributor, ISD. The entire book is also available as a free PDF download from the Kelsey website.

Reading the catalog is a great way to prepare for the upcoming symposium "Graffiti in Ancient Nubia and Beyond," where the same scholars who authored chapters in the book will be giving lectures about their research on ancient graffiti. If you plan on attending this half-day event, be sure to register in advance since space is limited.