El-Kurru

Near Karima, Northern State, Sudan

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El-Kurru is a small village in Northern Sudan, not far from the town of Karima. It is located west of the Nile River in the ancient region of Nubia. Today, El-Kurru is famous for its archaeological site, which contains royal tombs and pyramids belonging to the kings and queens of the ancient Kushite (Nubian) Kingdom.

The cemetery at El-Kurru is one of the oldest and most important burial grounds of the Kushite royals who once ruled both Nubia and Egypt. These Kushite rulers are known as Egypt’s 25th Dynasty. The first known tomb here dates from around 860 BC, and the last royal burial took place around 650 BC. After this period, royals chose to be buried at another site called Nuri.

Several types of tombs can be found at El-Kurru. Some are simple underground graves, while others are covered by small pyramids. The largest pyramid is called Ku.1, but it was never finished or used. The site is especially significant because it includes the tomb of King Piye, a famous Kushite pharaoh, as well as several queens.

The most beautifully decorated tomb at El-Kurru belongs to King Tantamani, and its underground chambers are filled with ancient paintings. Next to the royal tombs, archaeologists discovered a group of horse burials. Horses were important symbols of power and prestige in ancient Kushite culture.

There were also later additions to the site. In the medieval period, people from the Christian Kingdom of Makuria left graffiti and symbols, such as crosses and boats, on the pyramids. This shows that El-Kurru remained an important place long after its original royal use.