Sudan’s 'Forgotten' Pyramids: The Nuri and Meroë Pyramids
By: Lindsey Penn/Arab America Contributing Writer
You have most likely heard of the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt. Famous for their size and history, the Great Pyramids of Egypt attract millions of tourists each year. But did you know that Sudan has more than two hundred pyramids as well? These pyramids are the Meroë and Nuri Pyramids of Nubia.
The Nuri Pyramids
The Nuri Pyramids span 170 acres of the Sudanese desert, close to the Nile River. They are close to the town of Karima and the sacred mountain Jebel Barkal. There are 61 pyramids in total, although archaeologists think there are more. Inside them kings, queens, and other memebers of the royal families are buried in a similar fashion to the Ancient Egyptian burial practices, except that they are buried underneath and not inside. Each pyramid is the Nubian style: A smaller base, and steeper sides rising until they meet at a point. They were built from around 660 BC to 300 BC. The largest and the oldest is Taharqa’s pyramid which was built in 664 BC and stands around 164 feet high. Built of sandstone, these pyramids are beginning to crumble because of both human action and nature. In 2003, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Archaeologists are still excavating the site, with some structures buried under water.
Over the centuries, groundwater has risen to flood the sites. The fact that they are underwater means that only a small portion of the site has been excavated and there is little known of what exactly is in the pyramids, and some of what was there has since dissolved. As a tourist, you can visit the site for a fee.
Nuri’s History
The pyramids belong to the Kingdom of Kush, a Nubian kingdom that ruled Sudan for centuries. Their rulers were called the Black Pharaohs because they founded an army of their own when Ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom fell. Only after an invasion of the Assyrians did the 25th ruling dynasty of Kush end. They fled to the south of Egypt, settling in Napata and moving the capital there.
While there, the Kushite rulers built multiple tombs. In them are the sarcophagi and other artifacts. This includes shabtis, small figurines believed to protect the dead and tend to their needs in the afterlife.
The Meroë Pyramids
Located about 125 miles north of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, the Meroë pyramids are in the desert, placed along the bank of the Nile River. The closest place that is still inhabited is Bagrawiyah. At the time they were built, the city was the ancient city of Meroë. In total, there are more than 200 pyramids spread over three sites. They were built between 2,300 and 2,700 years ago, although there are suspicions that some are 4,600 years old. Unlike the Pyramids of Giza, they range from about 20 feet high to 98 feet high. Their bases are smaller, resulting in the steep slopes of stone that meet at a point. Some are step pyramids, and others have smooth sides. They are made of granite and sandstone.
In 2011, the Meroë Pyramids were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors are free to tour the grounds.
Meroë’s History
The ancient city of Meroë was the capital of the Kingdom of Kush, once the Nubians were forced to move further south. Originally after the invasion, they moved to Napata, but in the beginning of the sixth century BC, Pharaoh Psamtek II destroyed the city. At that point, the Nubians moved to Meroë. This decision was not random, but careful: The land was fertile for farming, and was also close to many trade routes.
Around 250 BC, Meroë became the primary location for the burials of the Kush rulers. They built their pyramids in two main areas: The south cemetery and the north cemetery. The south cemetery is older, and they established the north cemetery when the south cemetery was too crowded. Today, the northern cemetery is more preserved.
The decorations inside the site are influenced by the Egyptian, Roman, and Greek cultures. As archaeologists have excavated, they have discovered new artifacts, such as colored glass and pottery. These pyramids have survived a lot; in the 1800s, an Italian explorer Giuseppe Ferlini actually blew up the pyramids to look for treasures. Yet they still stand.
All in all, the pyramids of Sudan should never be forgotten or lost. They are important pieces of not just Sudan’s history, but the history of the whole world. These monuments should be preserved and celebrated.
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