Pyramids of Meroë

Pyramids of Meroë
	Pyramids of Meroë
	Pyramids of Meroë Shown within Northeast AfricaShow map of Northeast AfricaShow map of SudanShow all
Location	Northern State, Sudan
Region	Nubia
Coordinates	16°56′18″N 33°44′57″E / 16.93833°N 33.74917°ECoordinates: 16°56′18″N 33°44′57″E / 16.93833°N 33.74917°E
Type	Settlement
History
Cultures	Nubians
Site notes
Condition	restored

The Pyramids of Meroë are part of the larger group of Nubian pyramids, built at the time of the Kushite Kingdom over a period close to a millennium. On 8 September 2020, the pyramids were threatened for the first time by floods. Near Meroë, three royal cemeteries were constructed:^[1]

South Cemetery features nine royal pyramids. Four of the pyramids belonged to Kings and five belonged to queens. One hundred and ninety-five other tombs complete the cemetery.
North cemetery contains forty-one royal pyramids. Thirty belonged to kings, six to queens and five to other royals. The cemetery has three more non-royal tombs for a total of forty-four.
West cemetery is a non-royal site. It contains some one hundred and thirteen tombs.^[2]

Southern Cemetery at Begarawiyah[]

The southern cemetery is the burial place of the Meroitic side of the royal family from ca 720 – 300 BCE. Towards the end the cemetery became the main royal burial site for the Kings of Meroë.^[3] This cemetery contains several pyramids:^[2]

Beg.S 1 – Queen's pyramid (anonymous)
Beg.S 2 – Queen's pyramid (anonymous)
Beg.S 3 – Queen's pyramid (anonymous)
Beg.S 4 – King's sister, King's Mother, Kenreth = Saleran? (or Saluwa?).
Beg.S 5 – King Amanislo
Beg.S 6 – King Arqamani or King Khnum-ib-re(?)
Beg.S 9 – Queen's pyramid (anonymous)
Beg.S 10 – King Kalka Kaltaly
Beg.S 20 – Prince Weteriken (?), son of Amaniastabarqa or Siaspiqa^[4]
Beg.S 85 – Princess Mernua, contemp. King Anlamani – Aspelta^[4]
Beg.S 500 – Prince Kariben, son of King Siaspiqa or King Nasakhma^[4]
Beg.S 503 – Queen Khennuwa, approximately time of Nastasen^[3]

The Southern Cemetery of Meroë
Detail of the Southern Cemetery. The large pyramids belong to Kings Arqamani and Amanislo

North Cemetery at Begarawiyah[]

After the southern cemetery was full, the burials continued in the north. This site contains the royal burials of the Kings and Queens of Meroë from ca 300 BCE to about 350 CE.^[3] The northern cemetery contains many royal pyramids:^[2]

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

Beg. N1 – Queen Amanitore^[5]
Beg. N2 – King Amanikhabale^[3]^[5]
Beg. N3 – Queen's Pyramid (unidentified)^{[citation needed]}
Beg. N4 – King Amantekha^[5]
Beg. N5 – Prince Arikhankharer,^[5] son of Amanitore
Beg. N6 – Queen Amanishakheto^[5]
Beg. N7 – King Arqamani^[5] (Merqetek)
Beg. N8 – Nahirqa(?) (Nayakhensan-mery-Isis ?).^{[citation needed]}
Beg. N9 – King ^[5] (= Adikhalamani ?)^[5]
Beg. N10 – King Shorkaror or Arikhankharer^{[citation needed]}
Beg. N11 – Queen Shanakdakhete^[5]
Beg. N12 – King's Pyramid (unidentified)^[5]
Beg. N13 – King ^[6]^[5]
Beg. N14 – King ^[5]
Beg. N15 – King ^[7]
Beg. N16 – King Amanitaraqide^[7]
Beg. N17 – King Amanitenmemide,^[7] Nebmaatre I
Beg. N18 – Queen Amanikhatashan^[7]
Beg. N19 – King Tarekeniwal^[7]
Beg. N20 – King Tanyidamani^[5]
Beg. N21 – Queen Amanirenas^[5]
Beg. N22 – King Natakamani^[5]
Beg. N24 – King Yesbokheamani^[7]
Beg. N25 – Queen's Pyramid (unidentified)^[7]
Beg. N26 – Queen's Pyramid (unidentified)^[7]
Beg. N27 – King Maleqorobar^[7]
Beg. N28 – King Teqorideamani^[7]
Beg. N29 – King ^[7]
Beg. N30 – King ^[7]
Beg. N32 – King ^[7]
Beg. N34 – King Tamelerdeamani^[7]
Beg. N35 – Maniterara(ze), Teraramani.^{[citation needed]}
Beg. N36 – King ^[7]
Beg. N37 – King Amanikhareqerem^[7]
Beg. N38 – King ^[7]
Beg. N40 – King ^[7]
Beg. N41 – King ^[7]
Beg. N51 – King's Pyramid (unidentified)^[7]
Beg. N52 – Unknown^{[citation needed]}
Beg. N53 – King Arnekhamani^[5]
Beg. N55 – Unknown^{[citation needed]}
Beg. N56 – Prince ,^[5] son of Amanitore

Treasures and artifacts of the North Cemetery[]

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

Lamp with handle in the shape of a horse, from the pyramid of Queen Amanikhatashan in Meroë (c.62-c.85 CE). Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Usekh collar of queen Amanishakheto
Bracelet from the tomb of Amanishakheto
Some of the treasures found by Ferlini in the pyramid of queen Amanishakheto
Wall of the Pyramid chapel of Amanitenmemide
Detail of Pyramid Chapel Beg. N1

West Cemetery at Begarawiyah[]

The West Cemetery at Meroë

Beg. W14 – Nasapanasap
Beg. W18 – Taktidamani
Beg. W19 – Tedeqen
Beg. W105 – Amanipilde
Beg. W113 – King Mashadeakhel
Beg. W342 – Atedekey

References[]

^ Dows Dunham (ed.); The Royal Cemeteries of Kush, volume V; 1963.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c G. A. Reisner, The Meroitic Kingdom of Ethiopia: A Chronological Outline, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 9, No. 1/2 (Apr., 1923), pp. 34–77
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d George A. Reisner, The Pyramids of Meroë and the Candaces of Ethiopia, Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin, Vol. 21, No. 124 (Apr., 1923), pp. 11–27
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Dows Dunham and M. F. Laming Macadam, Names and Relationships of the Royal Family of Napata, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 35 (Dec., 1949), pp. 139–149
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q Welsby, Derek A. (1998). The Kingdom of Kush: The Napatan and Meroitic Empires. Princeton: Markus Weiner Publishers. p. 208. ISBN 1-55876-182-9.
^ Fontes Historiae Nubiorum II, p.686
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t Welsby, Derek A. (1998). The Kingdom of Kush: The Napatan and Meroitic Empires. Princeton: Markus Weiner Publishers. p. 209. ISBN 1-55876-182-9.

[1] Dows Dunham (ed.); The Royal Cemeteries of Kush, volume V; 1963.

[Reisner-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c G. A. Reisner, The Meroitic Kingdom of Ethiopia: A Chronological Outline, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 9, No. 1/2 (Apr., 1923), pp. 34–77

[Candace-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d George A. Reisner, The Pyramids of Meroë and the Candaces of Ethiopia, Museum of Fine Arts Bulletin, Vol. 21, No. 124 (Apr., 1923), pp. 11–27

[DM-4] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Dows Dunham and M. F. Laming Macadam, Names and Relationships of the Royal Family of Napata, The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, Vol. 35 (Dec., 1949), pp. 139–149

[Welsby208-5] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q Welsby, Derek A. (1998). The Kingdom of Kush: The Napatan and Meroitic Empires. Princeton: Markus Weiner Publishers. p. 208. ISBN 1-55876-182-9.

[6] Fontes Historiae Nubiorum II, p.686

[Welsby209-7] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t Welsby, Derek A. (1998). The Kingdom of Kush: The Napatan and Meroitic Empires. Princeton: Markus Weiner Publishers. p. 209. ISBN 1-55876-182-9.

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