Pyramids of Meroë

Timeline

1. c. -300–-200Northern cemetery of Meroë · SudanAfter Kush moved its capital to Meroë, the royal court planned a pyramid cemetery on the terraces north of the city, using Nubian-style pyramids built of sandstone with small bases and steep slopes.
2. c. -200–-50Pyramids of Meroë · SudanThe number of pyramids surged during this period; murals in the burial chambers depicted royal life and beliefs in the afterlife, and some pyramids had adjacent cult temples, reflecting the close bond between Kushite royal power and religious ritual.
3. c. -50–1Pyramids of Meroë · SudanAround the turn of the era, Roman travelers already regarded the pyramids of Meroë as an exotic wonder; the complex became a symbol of Kushite civilization's outward image and later attracted archaeological attention.