In 2300 BCE, Nubia is first mentioned in Old Kingdom Egyptian accounts of trade missions.

From Aswan, right above the First Cataract, the southern limit of Egyptian control at this time, Egyptians import gold, incense, ebony, ivory, and exotic animals from tropical Africa through Nubia.

As trade between Egypt and Nubia increases so does wealth and stability.

By the Egyptian 6th dynasty, Nubia is divided into a series of small kingdoms.

There is debate over whether these C-Group peoples, who flourished from c. 2240 BCE to c. 2150 BCE, were another internal evolution or invaders.

There are definite similarities between the pottery of A-Group and C-Group, so it may be a return of the ousted Group-As, or an internal revival of lost arts.

At this time, the Sahara Desert is becoming too arid to support human beings, and it is possible that there was a sudden influx of Saharan nomads.

C-Group pottery is characterized by all-over incised geometric lines with white infill and impressed imitations of basketry.During the Egyptian Middle Kingdom (c. 2040–1640 BCE), Egypt begins expanding into Nubia to gain more control over the trade routes in Northern Nubia and direct access to trade with Southern Nubia.

They erect a chain of forts down the Nile below the Second Cataract.

These garrisons seem to have peaceful relations with the local Nubian people but little interaction during the period.

A contemporaneous but distinct culture from the C-Group is the Pan Grave culture, so called because of their shallow graves.

The Pan Graves are associated with the East bank of the Nile, but the Pan Graves and C-Group definitely interact.

Their pottery is characterized by incised lines of a more limited character than those of the C-Group, generally having interspersed undecorated spaces within the geometric schemes.Ancient Egypt conquers Nubian territory in various eras, and incorporates parts of the area into its provinces.

The Nubians in turn are to conquer Egypt under its 25th Dynasty.

Various pharaohs of Nubian origin are held by some Egyptologists to have played an important part towards the area in different eras of Egyptian history, particularly the 12th Dynasty.

These rulers handle matters in typical Egyptian fashion, reflecting the close cultural influences between the two regions.In the New Kingdom, Nubians and Egyptians are often so closely related that some scholars consider them virtually indistinguishable, as the two cultures meld and mix together.