The city of Kerma, located near the Third Cataract of the Nile in northern Sudan, was the first capital of the kingdom of Kush. It thrived between 2500 and 1500 BC until the Egyptians had it destroyed during their New Kingdom conquest of Kush. Although Kush would resurge as a major power in the Nile Valley after 1000 BC, their capital had moved up the Nile to Napata by this period.

This is a street scene I did for a friend who wants to put together an illustrated book about the Kushite civilization. The big temple in the background is based on one of the structures known as deffufa which have been excavated at Kerma's ruins. I rather like depicting common Kushite people going about their daily lives, since most modern depictions seem to emphasize either their warriors or their kings.