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Egypt / Sudan: The Qustul incense burner, Nubia, c. 3100 BCE

The Qustul censer is an incense burner depicting three ships sailing toward a serekh (royal palace). In the middle boat a Pharaoh is shown (as archaeologist Bruce Williams discerned) wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt and is adorned in royal Egyptian regalia.

By his crown, a falcon symbol of the god Horus hovers, and in front of the falcon a rosette, an Egyptian royal insignia, is shown. This piece of characteristic Egyptian art was found not in Egypt, but rather 200 miles southward into Nubia. This discovery was mind-boggling. The Qustul censer was dated at 3,300 B.C., long preceding predynastic Egypt.

This piece of Egyptian-influenced art was found not in Egypt, but rather 320 km (200 miles) south in Nubia. The Qustul censer is dated at 3,100 BCE, preceding predynastic Egypt.