Medjay

Under the name Medjau (also Medjai or Medja ) people were in Ancient Egypt from the end of the Old to the New Kingdom referred to them lived in the Nubian Desert, the Red Sea Mountains and west in Atbai. They served the Egyptians as caravan leaders, police officers and professional soldiers. However, the Medjau were dangerous enemies. Historical records tell of frequent clashes with the Egyptians.

Identification

The Medjau probably belonged to a larger cultural group, which is called in Cushitic records from the 1st millennium BC Meded and demotic texts appears as " Belhem ". The Greeks and Romans referred to this group as Blemmyes while they were called in the Arab Beja ( Beja ). Perhaps some Medjau were referred to by the Egyptians as well as general Iuntiu and by the Greeks as troglodytes.

History

2000 BC climatic changes led to improved living conditions in the Red Sea Mountains and the Atbai level, which significantly differed from those in the western desert. Rainfall during the monsoon season made ​​on the high plains and in the mountains for moderate water retention grazing ground for herds of animals offered (sheep, goats and cattle ). Due to the limited resources put a seasonal migrations. In the dry months, the residents moved into the Nile Valley or the mountains, where they found in caves shelter from the heat. During the rainy season in late summer, the shepherds spread out as far as Butana between the Black and Blue Nile. The seasonal north-south migrations offered sufficient opportunities for trade and possibly also led to trade contacts between Egypt and Ethiopia ( Punt ).

The area around the Red Sea Mountains possessed well-developed trade routes and was already at an early period is important because from here the goods were imported to Egypt and Nubia in the larger scale. The earliest unambiguous reference for people from this region is a small number of contemporary tombs of Nubia, as well as a group of stelae Helwan, which was found in tombs of the 2nd dynasty and people from Punt or Atbai shows.

During the Old Kingdom, little is known of people from this area. There are only anecdotal evidence on campaigns against them. Presumably secured the north of the Wadi Hammamat Medjau desert routes to the mines and quarries, as well as the systems established for the trade with Punt port facilities on the Red Sea. The first real mention of Medjau was in the 6th Dynasty. In Aswan report royal inscriptions and grave biographies of nomarchs and caravan leaders from Elephantine that Medjau and Nubians took over under the supervision of the Egyptians, the control of the region. While the Nubians still played a major role in the riots of the 1st split, little is known about the Medjau until the beginning of the Middle Kingdom. Only in the 12th dynasty dive representations on in Middle Egyptian grave chapels show the Medjau as emaciated cattle herders.

An important role played by the Medjau in the Egyptian campaigns against Nubia and Kush, which led to the construction of fortifications in Nubia and near the southern border of Egypt. The Medjau formed a substantial part of the garrison troops and were also used as a desert patrol or to prevent infiltrations other Medjau. Further evidence provides the fortress in unternubischen Serra East, the name Khesef - Medjau ( " The the Medjau sells " ) wore. At the same time in two important texts Medjau called Auwshek and Webat - Sepet are mentioned which were so feared that they were cursed.

The Medjau participated in the riots of the second split time and were at the same time in conjunction with the pan graves culture. When at the beginning of the New Kingdom of Egypt, the rule was extended to the fourth cataract of the Nile, the Medjau are rarely mentioned as a fighting force, but increasingly used as a police force. The name of the Medjau was to late New Kingdom now become synonymous with " police ".

After the end of the New Kingdom, the term Medjau disappeared. From the New Kingdom to 900/800 BC, there are few archaeological traces of Nubia and Sudan. In cemeteries on the second cataract of the Nile appear graves that have similarities with the early pan graves culture. Some Nubian pottery are comparable with the earliest Kushite burial mounds at el- Kurru, which date from the 10th to 9th century BC. Later Kushite ruler of the 5th and 4th centuries BC led near Meroe campaigns against the Meded and the " Rehres " which may represent a subgroup.

During the Greco-Roman period the area of ​​expansion and the role of Medjau was taken by the Blemmyes that were known to the Arabs as Beja. The groups of Blemmyes - Beja formed powerful alliances, took over the control of trade and gem mines, and laid on with greater powers. From the third to fifth century they pushed to Upper Egypt and Nubia, and dipped even west to the Kharga Oasis and north to the Sinai Peninsula.