Nuri is a place in modern

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on the west side of the Nile, near the Fourth Cataract. Nuri is situated about 15 km north of

Sanam Sanam may refer to: Places * Sanam, Iran, a village in Iran * Sanam, Niger, a commune in Niger * Sanam, Sudan, a village in Sudan Entertainment * Sanam (1997 film), ''Sanam'' (1997 film), a 1997 Hindi drama film * Sanam (1951 film), ''Sanam'' ( ...

, and 10 km from Jebel Barkal. Nuri is the second of three Napatan burial sites and the construction of pyramids at Nuri began when there was no longer enough space at El-Kurru. More than 20 ancient pyramids belonging to Nubian kings and queens are still standing at Nuri, which served as a royal necropolis for the ancient city of Napata, the first capital of the Nubian Kingdom of Kush. It is probable that, at its apex, 80 or more pyramids stood at Nuri, marking the tombs of royals. The pyramids at Nuri were built over a period of more than three centuries, from circa 670 BCE for the oldest (pyramid of Taharqa), to around 310 BCE (pyramid of king Nastasen). Napata english2

The earliest known pyramid (Nu. 1) at Nuri belongs to king Taharqa which measures 51.75 meters square by 40 or by 50 metres high. The pyramid of Taharqa was situated so that when observed from Gebel Barkal at sunrise on Egyptian New Year's Day, the beginning of the annual flooding of the Nile, the sun would rise from the horizon directly over its point. Tantamani, successor of Taharqa, was buried at

el-Kurru El-Kurru was the first of the three royal cemeteries used by the Kushite royals of Napata, also referred to as Egypt's 25th Dynasty, and is home to some of the royal Nubian Pyramids. It is located between the 3rd and 4th cataracts of the Nile ab ...

, but all following Napatan kings and many of their queens and children until Nastasen (Nu. 15) (about 315 BC) were buried here, some 80 royals. The

pyramids A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilate ...

at Nuri are, in general, smaller than the Egyptian ones and are today often heavily degraded (caused by both humans and nature), but often still contained substantial parts of the funerary equipment of the Kushite rulers who were buried here. During the Christian era, a church was erected here. The church was built at least in part from reused pyramid stones, including several stelae originally coming from the pyramid chapels. The pyramids were partially excavated by George Reisner in the early 20th century. In 2018, a new archaeological expedition began work at the site, directed by

Pearce Paul Creasman Pearce Paul Creasman (born 1981) is an archaeologist in the fields of Egyptology, maritime archaeology, and dendrochronology. In recognition of his work he has been made a fellow of the Explorer's Club, the Royal Geographical Society, and the Linn ...

. The pyramids of Nuri, together with other buildings in the region around Gebel Barkal, have been placed on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage sites since 2003.

Tombs at Nuri

: See List of monarchs of Kush for more information. Pyramids of Nuri in 1821

Taharqo's pyramid, Nuri, Sudan, North-east Africa

The royal family of Kush was buried in the cemeteries of Nuri and

.
The King's Mothers were buried in the southern group, but this is not an area exclusively used for the burial of King's Mothers. Most of the King's Wives were buried in the parallel rows just north of Taharqa's tomb. The tombs to the far north were much smaller and may have been built for wives of lesser rank.Angelika Lohwasser, "Queenship in Kush: Status, Role and Ideology of Royal Women", ''Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt'', Vol. 38 (2001), pp. 61-76 It was also found by Dows Dunham, an experienced archaeologist, that there were references to two other kings in three of the pyramids including King Taharqa. But, if they are buried there, their tombs have yet to be located and excavated. * Taharqo's pyramid, Nuri, Sudan, North-east Africa

Nuri 1 - King Taharqa, the earliest and largest of the Nuri pyramids * Nuri Pyramid Nu -II Kushite (Napatan)

Nuri 2 - King Amaniastabarqa * Nuri 3 - King Senkamanisken * Nuri 4 - King Siaspiqa * Nuri Pyramid Nu -V Kushite (Napatan) (1)

Nuri 5 - King Malonaqen * Anlamani's_pyramid,_Nuri,_Sudan,_North-east_Africa

Nuri 6 - King Anlamani, son of King Senkamanisken * Karkamani's_pyramid,_Nuri,_Sudan,_North-east_Africa

Nuri 7 - King

Karkamani Karkamani was a Meroitic king who ruled in the 6th century, probably between 519 to 510 BC at Napata. He succeeded King Amaninatakilebte and was in turn succeeded by King Amaniastabarqa. Like others of his dynasty, he was discovered buried among t ...

Nuri Pyramid Nu VIII King Aspelta rc 600- c

Nuri 8 - King Aspelta, son of King Senkamanisken and Queen Naparaye * Nuri_Pyramid_Nu_-IX_Kushite_(Napatan)_(2)

Nuri 9 - King Aramatle-qo, son of Aspelta * Pyramid Nuri 10 - Amaninatakilebte

Nuri 10 - King

Amaninatakilebte Amaninatakilebte was a Meroitic king who ruled in the 6th century, probably between 538 to 519 BC at Napata. He succeeded King Analmaye and was in turn succeeded by King Karkamani. Like others of his dynasty, he was discovered buried among the py ...

Nuri 11 - King

Malewiebamani Malewiebamani was a Kushite King of Meroe. ''Prenomen:'' Kheperkare ("Re is one whose ka is manifest") ''Nomen:'' Malewiebamani Malewiebamani's mother was likely Queen Saka'aye. Malewiebamani was the son of either Nasakhma or Siaspiqa. Ama ...

Nuri Pyramid Nu XII King Amanineteyerike ruled end 5th cent BCE

Nuri 12 - King

Amanineteyerike Amanineteyerike (Amanneteyerike, Aman-nete-yerike, Irike-Amannote) was a Kushite King of Meroe. His reign is dated to the end of the 5th century BCE. Amanineteyerike took on a full set of titles based on those of the Egyptian Pharaohs.László ...

, son of King

Nuri Pyramid Nu XIII King Harsiotef rc 404-369 BCE

Nuri 13 - King

Harsiotef Harsiotef was a Kushite King of Meroe (about 404 – 369 BC). Harsiotef took on a full set of titles based on those of the Egyptian Pharaohs: ''Horus name:'' Kanakht Khaemnepet ("Mighty Bull appears in Napata") ''Nebty Name:'' Nednetjeru ("Who ...

Nuri Pyramid Nu XIV King Akhraten r c 350-335 BCE

Nuri 14 - King

Akhraten Akhraten (also transliterated Akhratan) was a King of Kush (''ca.'' 350 BCE – 335 BCE). Akhraten took on at least some titles based on those used by the Egyptian pharaohs.László Török, The kingdom of Kush: handbook of the Napatan-Meroitic ...

Nastasen's pyramid, Nuri, Sudan, North-east Africa

Nuri 15 - King Nastasen * Nuri 16 - King

Talakhamani Talakhamani was a Kushite King of Meroe during the second half of the 5th century BCE. No prenomen is known, and his nomen is Talakhamani. He may have been a son of Nasakhma and a younger brother of Malewiebamani.Dows Dunham and M. F. Laming Mac ...

* Nuri 17 - King

Baskakeren Baskakeren was a List of monarchs of Kush, king of Kingdom of Kush, Kush (about 400 BC). He was likely a son of King Malewiebamani and the younger brother of King Amanineteyerike. He succeeded King Amanineteyerike to the throne.Samia Dafa'alla, Su ...

, son of King

Nuri 18 - King

Analmaye Analmaye was a Kushite King of MeroeDows 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 who ruled in the 6th century BC. He succee ...

Pyramid Nu XIX King Nasakhma successor of king Siaspiqa

Nuri 19 - King

Nasakhma Nasakhma (Nasakhmaqa) was a Kushite King of Meroe. He was the successor of king Siaspiqa. Nasakhma was succeeded by Malewiebamani, who may have been his eldest son. It is possible that Talakhamani was a younger son of Nasakhma who took the t ...

* Nuri 20 - King Atlanersa, Son of Taharqa * Nuri 21 - Possibly Takahatenamun, Queen. Wife of Taharqa * Pyramid_Amanimalel_Nuri_22

Nuri 22 - Possibly

Amanimalel Amanimalel (also Amanimalēl and Amanimalil) was a Kushite queen of the Napatan kingdom of Nubia, likely a spouse of king Senkamanisken living in the second half of the 7th century BC. She is mostly known from one or possibly two statues of her ...

, Queen. Wife of King Senkamanisken * Nuri 23 -

Masalaye Masalaye was a Nubian royal lady known only from her burial at Nuri (Nu. 23). Her burial consisted of a pyramid (about 10 m in square), a chapel in front of the pyramid and of tow burial chambers under the pyramid, that were reached via a staircase. ...

, Queen? Probably wife of King Senkamanisken * Nuri 24 - Nasalsa, Queen. Daughter of Atlanersa, wife of King Senkamanisken * Nuri 25 - Maletaral II, Queen?. Time of King

* Nuri 26 -

Amanitakaye Amanitakaye was a Nubian royal woman, so far only known from her burial in the royal cemetery of Nuri (Nuri 26). She was perhaps the mother of king Malonaqen, but this is only a guess, although supported by objects with that king's name in her buria ...

, Queen. Daughter of Aspelta, sister-wife of Aramatle-qo, mother of Malonaqen * Nuri 27 - Madiqen, Queen. Wife of Anlamani * Nuri 28 -

Henuttakhebit Henuttakhebit was a Nubian queen with the Egyptian titles ''king's wife'', ''king's daughter'' and ''king's sister''. Her royal husband is not known for sure. Perhaps she was the wife of Aspelta and daughter of Senkamanisken, as proposed by Dows Dun ...

, Queen. Wife of Aspelta * Nuri 29 - Pi'ankhqew-qa Queen? Possibly wife of King Siaspiqa * Nuri 31 - Saka'aye, Queen. Probably mother of King

* Nuri 32 -

Akhrasan {{Hiero, Akhrasan ''i-ḫ-rsn'', , align=era=egypt Akhrasan was a Nubian queen, so far only known from her burial in the royal cemetery of Nuri (Nu. 32). She was perhaps the wife of king Malewiebamani, althouɥgh this is not securely confirmed. Her ...

, Queen. Temp. King

* Nuri 34 -

Henutirdis Henutirdis was a Nubian royal lady with the title ''king's wife'', although the reading of the title is uncertain. Her husband was perhaps Harsiotef. So far she is only known from her burial at Nuri (Nu. 34). It is remarkable that she bears an Egypt ...

, Queen. From the time of King

* Nuri 35 - Possibly Queen Abar, wife of Piye, Mother of Taharqa * Nuri 36 -

Atakhebasken Atakhebasken (Akhetbasaken) was a Nubian queen dated to the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt.Aidan Dodson & Dyan Hilton: The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson, 2004, , p. 234-240 She was the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Taha ...

Queen. Wife of Taharqa * Nuri 38 -

Akheqa Akheqa was a Nubian queen with the Egyptian titles ''king's wife'' and ''king's sister''. Her royal husband is not known for sure. Perhaps she was the daughter of Aspelta and wife of Aramatle-qo, as proposed by Dows Dunham and M. F. Laming Macadam. ...

, Queen. Daughter of Aspelta and wife of Aramatle-qo * Nuri 39 -

Maletasen {{Hiero, Maletasen, , align=era=egypt Maletasen was a Nubian queen, so far only known from her burial in the royal cemetery of Nuri (Nuri 39). She was perhaps the wife of king Aramatle-qo. Her only known title is ''big king's wife''. (not ''great ki ...

, Queen. Wife of Aramatle-qo * Nuri 40 - Meqemale, Queen. Possibly wife of Aspelta * Nuri 41 -

Maletaral Maletaral (also Maloraral) (reading of the name is uncertain) was a Nubian queen with the Egyptian title ''king's mother''. She was perhaps the wife of king Atlanersa and the mother of king Senkamanisken. Maletaral is known from a heart scarab fou ...

(?) I, Queen. Wife of Atlanersa * Nuri 42 - Asata, Queen. Wife of Aspelta * Nuri 44 -

Batahaliye Batahaliye was the wife and the sister of Nubian king Harsiotef (ruled very roughly around 400 BC). She is known from stela of her husband and from her burial at Nuri. Her main title was ''big king's wife'', Hmt-niswt aAt. (not ''great king's wife' ...

, Queen. Wife of

* Nuri 45 -

Tagtal Tagtal was a Nubian queen with the titles ''king's wife'' and ''Egyptian''. Her husband is not known for sure. Malonaqen had been proposed although this is only a guess. So far she is only known from her burial at Nuri (Nu. 45). Tagtalis also know ...

(?), Queen. Wife of King Malonaqen * Nuri 53 -

Yeturow Yeturow (Iretiru) was a Nubian queen with the Egyptian titles ''king's wife'', ''king's wife of the people of Egypt'', ''king's daughter'' and ''king's sister''. Her father was most likely king Taharqa. Her royal husband was her brother Atlanersa. ...

, Queen. Sister-Wife of Atlanersa * Nuri 55 -

Atmataka Atmataka was a Nubian queen, so far only known from her burial in the royal cemetery of Nuri. She was perhaps the wife of king Aramatle-qo. Her only known title is ''king's wife''. Her burial consisted of a pyramid and the underground burial rooms. ...

, Queen. Wife of Aramatle-qo * Nuri 56 - Possibly

Sekhmakh Sekhmakh was the wife of the Nubian king Nastasen, who ruled in the Fourth century BC. Sekhmakh is known from the great stela of the king, where she is depicted in the roundle. There is also her funerary stela,Khartum 1853 found in a temple at Jeb ...

, Queen. Wife of Nastasen * Nuri 57 -

Piankhher Piankhher (Pi-ankh-her) was a Nubian queen with the Egyptian title ''king's wife''. Her royal husband is not known for sure, but for chronological reason it seems to be Aramatle-qo. Piankhher is known solely from her burial at Nuri Nuri is a plac ...

( ?), Queen. Possible wife of Aramatle-qo * Nuri 58 -

Artaha {{Hiero, Artaha, , align=era=egypt Artaha was a Nubian queen with the Egyptian title ''king's wife''. She was perhaps the wife of king Aspelta, although this is only a guess. Artaha is only known from her burial at Nuri Nuri is a place in modern ...

, Queen. Possible wife of Aspelta * Nuri 59 -

Malaqaye Malaqaye was a Nubian queen with the title ''king's wife''. Her husband was perhaps Tantamani, but this is only a guess. So far she is only known from her burial at Nuri (Nu. 59). Her burial at Nuri consists at one time most likely of a pyramid w ...

, Queen. Possibly a wife of King Tantamani * Nuri 61 -

Atasamale Atasamale (also Tesmalo) was the mother of the Nubian king Harsiotef (ruled very roughly around 400 BC). She is known from a stela of her son and from her burial at Nuri. Her titles are ''mother of the kings'', ''sister of the king'' and ''Lady o ...

, Queen. Possibly a wife of

Nuri Pyramids from the top of the pyramid of Taharqa

File:Sudan Nuri Pyramids 2012a.jpg, A man walks among the pyramids File:Some of the pyramids at the royal cemetery in Nuri.jpg, Pyramids at the royal cemetery. The small ruins in the front are Nuri 18 (

), and Nuri 19 (

) File:Nastasen's pyramid, Nuri, Sudan, North-east Africa.jpg, Nastasen's pyramid is the most recent of the royal pyramids (335–315/310 BCE) File:Southern view of the Nuri pyramids in 1821 (top) and in 2020 (bottom).jpg, Southern view of the Nuri pyramids in 1821 (top) and in 2020 (bottom)

Tomb artifacts

Numerous artifacts were found in the Nuri tombs, mainly excavated in 1916 by the Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition. It is noted that looting was present in all of the pyramids as they were accessible by digging a hole through the ground. Based on objects found within and around the tombs, it is likely that these looters came hundreds of years later. Of what remained, several fragments and completed Napatan red ware pottery were found within several tombs. File:Gold flower shaped Diadem, found in te Pyramid of King Talakhamani (435–431 B.C.).jpg, Gold flower shaped Diadem, found in the Pyramid of King

(435–431 BCE), Nuri pyramid 16. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. File:Jewelry found on the Mummy of Nubian King AMANINATAKILEBTE (538-519 BC). Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.jpg, Jewelry found on the Mummy of Nubian King

(538-519 BCE), Nuri pyramid 10. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. File:Unfinished granite stela with statue of Osiris found in the chapel of the Pyramid of Senkamenseken at Nuri (33232117994).jpg, Unfinished granite stela with statue of Osiris found in the chapel of the Pyramid 3 of Senkamanisken at Nuri File:Funerary figure of King Senkamanisken.jpg, A Shabti, a funerary figure of King Senkamanisken, found in the chapel of the Pyramid 3 at Nuri File:Treasure of King Aspelta.jpg, Artifacts including large metal tweezers, decorated and inscribed vessels, gold sheaths, and a ewer marked for King Aspelta found in Nuri pyramid 8. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. File:Sarcophagus of King Aspelta.jpg, The Sarcophagus of King Aspelta found in Nuri pyramid 8. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

References

Literature

* Dows Dunham. ''The Royal Cemeteries of Kush II, Nuri'', Boston (Mass.): Museum of Fine Arts, 1955.

External links

Pyramids of Nuri (flickr)

Nuri Pyramids
* {{Authority control History of Sudan World Heritage Sites in Sudan Archaeological sites in Sudan Kingdom of Kush Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt Pyramids in Sudan Populated places in Northern (state)

Tombs at Nuri

Tomb artifacts

See also

References

Literature

External links