Qadan Culture

Geographical range	Nubia
Period	Mesolithic
Dates	15,000 BP — 11,000 BP
Major sites	Cemetery 117
Preceded by	Sebilian
Followed by	Harifian

The Qadan culture (13000-9000 BCE) was an ancient culture that, archaeological evidence suggests, originated in Nubia approximately 15,000 years ago.^[1][2] This way of life is estimated to have persisted for approximately 4,000 years, and was characterized by hunting, as well as a unique approach to food gathering that incorporated the preparation and consumption of wild grasses and grains.^[1][2] Systematic efforts were made by the Qadan people to water, care for, and harvest local plant life, but grains were not planted in ordered rows.^[3]

Sites from this period span from the Second Cataract of the Nile to Tushka, situated approximately 250 kilometers upriver from Aswan.^[4]

In archaeological terms, the Qadan culture is generally viewed as a cluster of Mesolithic Stage communities living in Nubia in the upper Nile Valley prior to 9000 BCE. At a time of relatively high water levels in the Nile, it is characterized by a diverse stone tool industry that is taken to represent increasing degrees of specialization and locally differentiated regional groupings.^[3] Large numbers of grinding stones and blades have been found with glossy films of silica on them, which could possibly be the result of cutting grass stems on their surfaces.^{[citation needed]} There is some evidence of conflict between the groups, suggesting periods of invasion or intense inter-tribal war.^[3] In fact, about 40 percent of individuals buried in the Jebel Sahaba cemetery near the border of Sudan on the Nile river show signs of fatal wounds caused by projectiles,^[4] from weapons such as spears, darts, or arrows.^{[citation needed]} The remains found in the cemeteries suggest that ritual burials were practiced.^{[citation needed]}

The Qadan economy was based on fishing, hunting, and, as mentioned, the extensive use of wild grain.^[3]