Dress to impress: Nubian royal outfits showcased in London

A live presentation of re-created costumes of Nubian kings, royal mothers, and bishop based on wall paintings from the cathedral of Faras will take place on December 9 at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Ancient Attire Recreated: International Project Unlocks Secrets of Power In Medieval Nubia

A unique collaboration between Nubiologists from the University of Warsaw and designers from SWPS University has culminated in the groundbreaking project, “Costumes of Authority. The Image of Royalty and Clergy in Christian Nubia.” The project successfully transitioned two-dimensional wall paintings into meticulously reconstructed, threedimensional garments, offering unprecedented insight into the Kingdom of Makuria’s Christian court and religious life.

Bridging the Past and Present: The Power of Cooperation

Led by Dr Karel Innemée (University of Warsaw), the project utilised archaeological and iconographic data from the Cathedral of Faras, excavated by Polish archaeologists in the 1960s. Since written sources are scarce, the team – including Dr Magdalena Woźniak-Eusèbe and Dr. hab. Dobrochna Zielińska – focused on the clothing, which served as a crucial form of nonverbal communication and a demonstration of the kingdom’s connection to the Church and the divine.

From Mural to Material: A Transdisciplinary Approach

For the design team led by Dr Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka (SWPS University), the most challenging phase was the reconstruction of five key outfits (two kings, two royal mothers, and one bishop’s attire) depicted on the Faras murals, which required the seamless integration of academic research with practical design expertise.

The costume designer Dorothée Roqueplo combined knowledge of historical fabrics, production methods, and trade from the archaeological investigations with a practical understanding of garment construction, volume, weight, and movement ergonomics. Dr. hab. Katarzyna Schmidt-Przewoźna used her unique expertise in natural dyeing to propose and reconstruct the historical colour palette of the royal and clerical attire.

Attire Reflecting Power and Influence

The glamorous clothing in Faras’s wall paintings is exquisite and reveals its own symbolism. Initially inspired by the courtly costume of Byzantium, over the centuries, its décor has blended African colours and motifs with Arabic influences to create a unique style of dress. Five robes for royal mothers, kings, and Bishop Marianos have been painstakingly reconstructed from paintings in Faras Cathedral and archaeological material.

The final three-dimensional results were documented through a photography project where Sudanese people, representing modern communities living in the Netherlands and Germany, modelled the attire at the Pastoor van Ars Church in The Hague, with artistic concept and styling by Paulina Matusiak and photography by Eddy Wenting.

The project, part of the broader “Dress to Impress” initiative, stands as a prime example of how transdisciplinary academic collaboration can generate and popularise new knowledge. After an initial presentation at the Louvre in Paris in 2024, they were exhibited in the Bode Museum in 2025, alongside selected textiles from the Museum of Byzantine Art collection.