In the desert in eastern Sudan, on the banks of the Nile River, there are almost 200 ancient pyramids - many of them are the tombs of the kings of the Meroit Kingdom who ruled here over 900 years ago.
The pyramids of Meroe are smaller than their Egyptian counterparts, they have narrow bases and slopes on the sides. Some of the pyramids were built 2700 - 2300 years ago and are decorated with decorative elements from the cultures of the pharaohs of Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Although the Meroe Pyramids are one of the main attractions of Sudan, they have recently been forgotten as a tourist destination due to a series of economic sanctions imposed by various Western countries.
The first settlements on the site of Meroe began to appear, apparently, as early as the 8th century. BC e. After the conquest of Egypt by Assyria in 671 BC. e. on the territory of the historical region of Kush, a kingdom was formed with the center in the city of Napata. In the second half of the VI century. BC e. the capital of the state was moved to Meroe (hence the Meroitic kingdom).
After the transfer of the capital, Napata retained its significance as a religious center. Here were located the royal tombs - pyramids, the coronation of kings was carried out, the election of which was approved by the priests. (Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy):
On the way to the Meroe pyramids, April 16, 2015 (Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy):
Promotional video:
The cult of the god Amun at many stages of Egyptian history was the most widespread. The priesthood of Amun was very influential. The Temple of Amun in Naga was founded by Pharaoh Natakamani and was 100 meters long. Several statues of Natakamani were installed in the temple.
The temple is oriented along the east-west axes, it is made of sandstone, which has suffered greatly from erosion over the years. The temple was built in the traditional Egyptian style, with an outdoor courtyard and a colonnade of sculptures with the head of a ram (symbol of Amun). We see these "lambs" here. (Photo by Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah | Reuters):
Burials from the times of the Kush kingdom are located in the vicinity of Meroe in three places. (Photo by Ian Timbarlake):
Most of the pyramids consist of a stone above-ground part with a base side from 8 to 15 meters. The height of the pyramids ranges from 12 to 20 meters. For comparison, the height of the Cheops pyramid today is 138-139 meters. (Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy | AP):
To the west of the temple of Amon is the temple of the lion god Apedemak, who personified military prowess among the Kushites. It was believed that the god Apedemak guards the peace of the departed members of the families of the pharaohs. According to this belief, everyone who breaks the peace will be cursed by Apedemak.
The picture below shows the Roman pavilion, or kiosk, a small temple next to the large temples of Amun and Apedemac, made in the ancient Greek style. The front side is decorated with reliefs in Egyptian style, on the Roman lintel - a row of sacred Egyptian cobras (Photo by Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah | Reuters):
Hieroglyphs inside the pyramid. (Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy | AP):
View of the Meroe Pyramids, March 1, 2014. (Photo by Ian Timbarlake | AFP | Getty Images):
During the period of Persian rule in Egypt, the Meroitic kingdom lost a number of its northern territories. (Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy | AP):
Few tourists. Due to economic sanctions, the flow of tourists has recently fallen 10 times compared to previous years. (Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy | AP):
Hathor ("House of Horus") - in Egyptian mythology, the goddess of the sky, love, femininity, beauty, fun and dancing. And this is a chapel dedicated to her. (Photo by Abd Raouf | AP):
Temple of the Lion God Apedemak. The facade of the temple is a front gate decorated with reliefs of Pharaoh Natakamani and Queen Amanitore, emphasizing their divine power over slaves (or prisoners). At the feet of the pharaoh and the queen, as a sign of their royal power, lions are located. (Photo by Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah | Reuters):
Pyramids of Meroe. (Photo by Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah):
Meroe, March 10, 2012. (Photo by Abd Raouf | AP):
And this is the type of Meroe in ancient times. Lithograph, 1850
The southern Meroe cemetery with nine royal pyramids (five of the pharaohs and four of the queens). In addition to the large pyramids, this cemetery also contains one hundred and ninety-five smaller burials.
Pyramid of Meroe.