For decades, scholars studying the cultural influence of Egyptian colonialism on Nubian populations have relied on the concept of Egyptianisation. This approach created an oversimplified...Show moreFor decades, scholars studying the cultural influence of Egyptian colonialism on Nubian populations have relied on the concept of Egyptianisation. This approach created an oversimplified representation of cultural exchange in this context, portraying subjugated Nubian populations as passive receptors of Egyptian cultural elements. By considering indigenous agency, identity and local cultural practice, this research reevaluates this narrative, aiming to assess the impact of Egyptian colonialism on Nubian populations through an integral aspect of cultural expression, namely, food. Using an osteoarchaeological approach, Ancient Nile Valley diets were reconstructed by combining the analysis of caries, tooth wear and carbon and nitrogen isotope data, and were subsequently compared in an effort to identify patterns linked to colonising events. Including individuals from various spatial and temporal contexts, this diachronic study incorporated a skeletal sample consisting of Egyptian (Memphis and Qurneh), pre-colonial Nubian (Abu Fatima, Kerma) and colonial Nubian (Tombos, C-Group, Pharaonic and Shellal) individuals, amounting to a sample size of 845 individuals for dental analysis and 88 individuals for (collagen) isotope research. The results of this study reveal a complex image of dietary influence in Nubian colonial contexts, one whose intricacy refutes traditional expectations of inevitable acculturation in times of colonial occupation. Here, some individuals and groups seem to have chosen to adopt Egyptian dietary habits, showing a considerable degree of dietary acculturation (e.g. Pharaonic and Shellal), while other groups appear to have partly or completely maintained local dietary customs despite colonial interference (e.g. Tombos, C-Group). Furthermore, aside from individual and group choice, the adoption of Egyptian dietary habits by subjugated Nubian populations seems to have been influenced by factors such as location, timing and Egyptian imperial policy. This study stresses the complexity and variability of these colonial contexts, contributing to our knowledge of Nubian experiences of Egyptian colonisation. Moreover, it illustrates the potential of assessing the impact of colonialism on ancient populations through the study of food, a both continuous and culturally significant source of information.Show less