Nubian pyramids
pyramids that were built by the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms
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. The Nubian pyramids display adaptations of Egyptian architecture that were prevalent during the New Kingdom. Notably these are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chronology and organization of Nubian burial sites
The Nubian pyramids were built over a period of a few hundred years to serve as tombs for the kings and queens and wealthy citizens of Napata and Meroë. The four main sites in which these pyramids hold prominence are El-Kurru, Nuri, Jebel Barkal, and Meroe. The first three sites are located around Napata in Lower Nubia, near the modern town of Karima.
The earliest pyramids in El Kurru were constructed in 751 BC, which formed the center of the Empire of Kush during the Napatan period, ca. 850-300 BC. It is recognized as the origin of the tombs belonging to the rulers of Egypt and Nubia's 25th Dynasty, c. 750–664 BC, along with their ancestors.
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