The ancient civilization of Nubia arose in the Nile Valley, in what is now Sudan and southern Egypt. Some scholars believe that Nubia represents the oldest kingdom in Africa, and most of our knowledge comes from Egypt's historical record. Although tantalizingly little is known about Nubia's early empires, archaeological researchers have uncovered treasures and artifacts outlining a succession of sophisticated civilizations that shared aspects of their culture—and traded positions of power on occasion—with its more famous neighbor to the north, Pharaonic Egypt. In later centuries, Nubia changed dramatically as a result of other outside influences, notably two major waves of religious conversion: to Christianity and then to Islam. Today, Sudan's overwhelmingly Muslim population reflects this last influence, while other cultural traits of the Sudanese reflect the many other forces that have shaped it over the millennia. Nubia delves into the history and mysteries of this ancient culture.