Pyramids of Meroë

Pyramids of Meroë
	Pyramids of Meroë
	Shown within Northeast Africa Pyramids of Meroë (Sudan)
Location	Northern State, Sudan
Region	Nubia
Coordinates	16°56′18″N 33°44′57″E
Type	Settlement
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 milenium. 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]

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 West Cemetery at Meroë

Southern Cemetery at Begarawiyah

The Southern Cemetery of Meroë

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]

North Cemetery at Begarawiyah

The North Cemetery

Detail of Pyramid Chapel Beg. N1

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 AD.[3] The northern cemetery contains many royal pyramids:[2]

Beg. N1 - Kandake Amanitore
Beg. N2 - King Amanikhabale[3]
Beg. N3 - Queen's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N4 - King Amantekha
Beg. N5 - Prince Arikhankharer, son of Amanitore
Beg. N6 - Kandake Amanishakheto
Beg. N7 - King Arqamani (Merqetek)
Beg. N8 - Nahirqa(?) (Nayakhensan-mery-Isis ?).
Beg. N9 - King Tabirqo (Adikhalamani ?)
Beg. N10 - King Shorkaror or Arikhankharer
Beg. N11 - Queen Shanakdakhete
Beg. N12 - Kandake Shanakdakhete
Beg. N13 - King Naqyrjinsan[5]
Beg. N14 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N15 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N16 - King Akhyesteme?
Beg. N17 - King Amanitenmemide, Nebmaatre I
Beg. N18 - Queen Amanikhatashan
Beg. N19 - King Tarekeniwal
Beg. N20 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N21 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N22 - King Natakamani
Beg. N24 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N25 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N26 - Queen's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N27 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N28 - King Teqerideamani I
Beg. N29 - King Takizemani.
Beg. N30 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N32 - Queen's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N34 - King Artanyeszeme, Kheperkare III.
Beg. N35 - Maniterara(ze), Teraramani.
Beg. N36 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N37 - Unknown.
Beg. N38 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N40 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N41 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N51 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N52 - Unknown
Beg. N53 - King's Pyramid (unidentified)
Beg. N55 - Unknown.
Beg. N56 - Prince's Pyramid (unidentified)

West Cemetery at Begarawiyah

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

Nubian Pyramids

Nubian pyramids
The royal cemetery at el-Kurru. Buried here were Kashta, Piye, Tantamani, Shabaka and several queens are buried in pyramids at El-Kurru.
The royal cemetery at Nuri. King Taharqa and other royals form the kingdom of Napata are buried at Nuri.
Pyramids of Jebel Barkal

gollark: Can I turn off the jump drive?

gollark: Naturally.

gollark: I can't give you more power without also utterly obliterating cooling, unfortunately.

gollark: I will shut it down if it shows signs of rebellion.

gollark: However, it cannot be trusted.

References

Dows Dunham (ed.); The Royal Cemeteries of Kush, volume V; 1963.
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
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
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
Fontes Historiae Nubiorum II, p.686

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

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

[Reisner-2] 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] 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] 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

[5] Fontes Historiae Nubiorum II, p.686