 Aerial view of the pyramids of Meroë | |
Location of Nubian pyramids | |
| Alternative name | Nubian pyramids |
|---|---|
| Location | Sudan |
| Coordinates | 16°56′15″N 33°44′55″E / 16.93750°N 33.74861°E |
| Type | Pyramids |
| History | |
| Founded | 800 BC – AD 100 |
The Nubian pyramids were constructed by the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms in the region of the Nile Valley known as Nubia, located in present-day northern Sudan. This area was the site of three ancient Kushite kingdoms. The capital of the first was at Kerma (2500–1500 BC), the second was centered on Napata (1000–300 BC) and the third was centered on Meroë (300 BC–300 AD).
In Nubian culture, the pyramids were integral to burial customs for royalty and other wealthy figures of the Kushite kingdom, with this practice starting as early as the 7th century BC. These customs endured for almost a thousand years from 700 BC to 350 AD.[1] The Nubian pyramids display adaptations of Egyptian architecture that were prevalent during the New Kingdom.[2] Notably these are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3]
- ^ "9. Medieval graffiti in the sandstone quarries of Meroe: texts, monograms and cryptograms of Christian Nubia", The Quarries of Meroe, Sudan, Hamad bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press), pp. 127–142, 2018-12-01, ISBN 978-9927-118-87-6, retrieved 2024-11-09
- ^ Kolb, Michael J. (2019-11-06). Making Sense of Monuments: Narratives of Time, Movement, and Scale. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-76492-9.
- ^ "Wonder at the Meroe Pyramids, Forgotten Relics of the Ancient World". Atlas Obscura. 2017-05-03. Retrieved 2017-07-31.