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Pyramids of Meroë

Coordinates: 16°56′18″N 33°44′57″E / 16.93833°N 33.74917°E / 16.93833; 33.74917
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Pyramids of Meroë
Pyramids of Meroë
Location in Sudan
Location in Sudan
Pyramids of Meroë
Shown within Northeast Africa
LocationRiver Nile State, Sudan
RegionNubia
Coordinates16°56′18″N 33°44′57″E / 16.93833°N 33.74917°E / 16.93833; 33.74917
TypeSettlement
History
CulturesNubian (Kingdom of Kush)
Site notes
ConditionRuins, partly restored

The Pyramids of Meroë are a large number of Nubian pyramids, encompassing three cemeteries near the ancient city of Meroë. The Meroë pyramids date to the later stage of the Kingdom of Kush (3rd century BCE–4th century CE) and were burial places for Kushite monarchs, other members of the royal family, and important officials and dignitaries.

The three cemeteries collectively encompass over a thousand graves, out of which at least 147 were pyramids. The majority of the pyramids (at least 82) are from the southern cemetery and were not burials of royals.

On 8 September 2020, the pyramids were threatened for the first time by floods.

Pyramids and burials

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Securely identified pyramids are marked with bold text.

Southern cemetery

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The southern cemetery was used for royal Kushite burials for the first two or three generations in the Meroitic period (270 BCE onwards).[1] The southern cemetery includes c. 220 burials, at least 90 of which had superstructures. Of these 90, at least 24 were pyramids.[2] The tombs in this cemetery have been heavily pillaged.[3]

The Pyramids of Meroe

Northern cemetery

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After briefly using the southern cemetery, the northern cemetery became the main site for royal burials.[1] The northern cemetery contains 41 known pyramids, from 30 kings, eight queens regnant, and three other individuals (crown princes?).[10]

Pyramids of Meroe (North Cemetery) at sun rise
Destructions
Great pyramid N6 , belonging to Queen Amanishakheto, before and after its destruction by the treasure-hunter Giuseppe Ferlini in the 1830s
Nubian pyramids of Meroë in 1821, by Frédéric Cailliaud
The North Cemetery

Treasures and artifacts of the North Cemetery

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Numerous treasures were discovered in the pyramids since the 19th century.

Western cemetery

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The West Cemetery at Meroë

The western cemetery saw the longest continuous use, with burials dating back to the 9th century BCE. The western cemetery contains no burials of monarchs and was instead used by non-royal elites.[42] There are over 800 graves in the western cemetery, out of which at least 82 were pyramids.[42]

  • Beg. W 19 – Prince Tedeqen[43]

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Yellin 2020, p. 579.
  2. ^ Yellin 2020, p. 574.
  3. ^ Yellin 2020, p. 575.
  4. ^ Yellin 2020, p. 578.
  5. ^ Eide et al. 1996, p. 568.
  6. ^ Eide et al. 1996, p. 566.
  7. ^ Török 2015, p. 460.
  8. ^ Wolf & Riedel 2019, p. 14.
  9. ^ Wolf & Riedel 2019, p. 3.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Yellin 2020, p. 580.
  11. ^ Eide et al. 1998, p. 903.
  12. ^ Eide et al. 1998, p. 839.
  13. ^ Eide et al. 1998, p. 836.
  14. ^ Eide et al. 1996, p. 571.
  15. ^ Yellin 2020, p. 583.
  16. ^ Eide et al. 1996, p. 723.
  17. ^ Eide et al. 1996, p. 589.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b c Kuckertz 2021, pp. 5, 11.
  19. ^ Török 2015, p. 204.
  20. ^ Kuckertz 2021, pp. 5, 12.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b Kuckertz 2021, p. 12.
  22. ^ Eide et al. 1996, p. 664.
  23. ^ Eide et al. 1996, p. 685.
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b c Chapman 1952, p. 3.
  25. ^ Eide et al. 1998, p. 912.
  26. ^ Jump up to: a b Kuckertz 2021, p. 5.
  27. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Kuckertz 2021, p. 6.
  28. ^ Eide et al. 1998, p. 914.
  29. ^ Eide et al. 1998, p. 935.
  30. ^ Kuckertz 2021, p. 14.
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b Kuckertz 2021, p. 16.
  32. ^ Eide et al. 1998, p. 899.
  33. ^ Jump up to: a b Eide et al. 1998, p. 1072.
  34. ^ Eide et al. 1998, p. 1074.
  35. ^ Jump up to: a b c Török 2015, p. 206.
  36. ^ Jump up to: a b Eide et al. 1998, p. 954.
  37. ^ Yellin 2020, p. 582.
  38. ^ Yellin 2020, p. 616.
  39. ^ Edwards 2004, p. 144.
  40. ^ Eide et al. 1996, p. 582.
  41. ^ Dunham 1957, p. 7.
  42. ^ Jump up to: a b Yellin 2020, p. 570.
  43. ^ Yellin 2020, p. 572.

Bibliography

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