New Delhi: Egypt is famous for its pyramids and the history of pharaohs. The pyramids of Egypt have always been an enigma, standing as engineering and architectural marvel of the ancient days. However, Egypt is not the only country which can boast of pyramids. In fact, there is one nation which has more pyramids than Egypt. As surreal as it may sound, it is true that Egypt is not the country with the most pyramids. Then which country are we talking about?
Well, we are speaking about Sudan. Officially the Republic of the Sudan, it is a country in Northeast Africa. The great civilizations of ancient Sudan thrived and erected mighty temples and tombs honoring their gods, kings, queens, and nobles. There are between 220 to 255 pyramids in the country, more than twice the number that Egypt has. In this article, we will take a look at the pyramids of Sudan.
The Nubian pyramids of Sudan
In today’s northern Sudan, there lies Nubia, the region of the Nile Valley where the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms reigned supreme. The rulers constructed the Nubian pyramids in Sudan. Incidentally, Nubia was the site of three ancient Kushite kingdoms, with their capitals being at Kerma, Napata and Meroe respectively.
The construction of the Nubian pyramids
The construction of the Nubian pyramids went on for a few hundred years. They served as tombs for the kings and queens and wealthy citizens of Meroe and Napata. The four main sites of the pyramids are Nuri, El-Kurru, Meroe, and Jebel Barkal. In 751 BC, El-Kurru got its earliest pyramids. It formed the Empire of Kush’s center during the Napatan period. It was during the rule of King Piankhy that the tradition of building royal Kushite pyramids originated. And the burial tradition was continued by Shabataka, Shabaka, and Tanwetamani.
Later, Nubia’s capital was moved from Napata to Meroe. In 270 BC, the construction of the pyramids at Meroe began and the process of creation lasted for more than 700 years. Centuries later, the Nubian kingdom based in Meroe eventually fell to the Romans. The last Nubian pyramid and the last pyramid in Africa was built at Meroe around 350 AD. The pyramids of Sudan are different from those in Egypt in the sense that while the pyramids of the latter has tombs of rulers within, the pyramids of the former are built on top of the burial chambers.
In Nubian culture, the pyramids played the most crucial role in burial customs of the Kushite kingdom’s royalty and other wealthy figures. These customs lasted for almost a thousand years and the pyramids display adaptations of Egyptian architecture. Due to their immense cultural and historical significance, the pyramids have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sudan boasts more pyramids than Egypt, a testament to the rich history of its Kushite kingdoms. These Nubian pyramids, located at sites like Meroe and Nuri, served as tombs for royalty and elites. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
