Monday, August 17, 2015

Carpe Diem #799 Nubian pyramids Meroë


Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Yesterday we arrived at a wonderful ancient place "the Nubian Pyramids at Meroë. The Nubian people were influenced by the Egyptian architects of the pyramids. As we all will see at this wonderful place full of history.

enchanting
ruins of the Nubian pyramids
ancient glimpse

© Chèvrefeuille

Nubian pyramids are pyramids that were built by the rulers of the ancient Kushite kingdoms. Prior to the Kushites building these pyramids, there had been no pyramid construction in Egypt and the Nile Valley for more than 500 years.
The area of the Nile valley known as Nubia, which lies within present day Sudan, was home to three Kushite kingdoms during antiquity. The first had its capital at Kerma (2600–1520 BC). The second was centered on Napata (1000–300 BC). Finally, the last kingdom was centered on Meroë (300 BC–AD 300).
Kerma was Nubia's first centralized state with its own indigenous forms of architecture and burial customs. The last two kingdoms, Napata and Meroë, were heavily influenced by ancient Egypt culturally, economically, politically, and militarily. The Kushite kingdoms in turn competed strongly with Egypt, and during the late period of Ancient Egyptian history, the rulers of Napata conquered and unified Egypt herself. The Napatans ruled as the pharaohs of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty. The Napatan domination of Egypt ended with the Assyrian conquest in 656 BC.

Credits: Nubian Pyramids Meroë

Approximately 255 pyramids were eventually constructed at three sites in Nubia over a period of a few hundred years to serve as tombs for the kings and queens of Napata and Meroë. The first of these was built at the site of el-Kurru, including the tombs of King Kashta and his son Piye (Piankhi), together with Piye's successors Shabaka, Shabataka, and Tanwetamani. Fourteen pyramids were constructed for their queens, several of whom were renowned warrior queens. 
Later Napatan pyramids were sited at Nuri, on the west bank of the Nile in Upper Nubia. This necropolis was the burial place of 21 kings and 52 queens and princes including Anlami and Aspelta. The bodies of these kings were placed in huge granite sarcophagi.The oldest and largest pyramid at Nuri is that of the Napatan king and Twenty-fifth Dynasty pharaoh Taharqa.

The most extensive Nubian pyramid site is at Meroë, which is located between the fifth and sixth cataracts of the Nile, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Khartoum. During the Meroitic period, over forty queens and kings were buried there.

relive the old times
visiting Meroë’s pyramids
I dream away


© Chèvrefeuille

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until August 20th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode, a new Tokubetsudesu episode and the fourth CD Special by Lolly, later on. For now .... be inspired ...!

1 comment:

  1. Wow! No pramids were built by the Egyptians for 500 years before the Nubians - incredible. Lovely haiku you started with. I'm glad things seem stable regarding your father. Arrabest, as we say in Scotland.

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