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70-634: Merowe may refer to: Meroe or Meroë , a town in Sudan, site of over 200 pyramids Merowe, Sudan , site of the Merowe Dam Merawi (woreda) , Amhara Region of Ethiopia Merwede or Merwe or Merowe, several interconnected stretches of river in the Netherlands [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with

140-751: A central role in the mound-building peoples' religious life. Documented uses include semi-public chief 's house platforms, public temple platforms, mortuary platforms, charnel house platforms, earth lodge /town house platforms, residence platforms, square ground and rotunda platforms, and dance platforms. Cultures that built substructure mounds include the Troyville culture , Coles Creek culture , Plaquemine culture and Mississippian cultures . Many square flat-topped mound tombs in China . The first emperor Qin Shi Huang ( c.  221 BC , who unified

210-716: A circular plan survives at the site of Cuicuilco , now inside Mexico City and mostly covered with lava from an eruption of the Xitle Volcano in the 1st century BC. Several circular stepped pyramids called Guachimontones survive in Teuchitlán, Jalisco . Pyramids in Mexico were often used for human sacrifice . Harner stated that for the dedication of the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan in 1487, "one source states 20,000, another 72,344, and several give 80,400" as

280-550: A legendary struggle for the throne of Argos and another that he was told was the tomb of Argives killed in a battle around 669/8 BC. Neither survives and no evidence indicates that they resembled Egyptian pyramids. At least two surviving pyramid-like structures are available to study, one at Hellenikon and the other at Ligourio/Ligurio, a village near the ancient theatre Epidaurus . These buildings have inwardly sloping walls, but bear no other resemblance to Egyptian pyramids. They had large central rooms (unlike Egyptian pyramids) and

350-636: A new indigenous alphabet , the Meroitic , consisting of twenty-three letters, replaced Egyptian script. The Meroitic script is an alphabetic script originally derived from Egyptian hieroglyphs, used to write the Meroitic language of the Kingdom of Kush. It was developed in the Napatan Period (c. 700 – 300 BC), and first appears in the 2nd century BC. For a time, it was also possibly used to write

420-600: A power by the 1st or 2nd century AD, sapped by the war with Roman Egypt and the decline of its traditional industries. Meroë is mentioned briefly in the 1st century AD Periplus of the Erythraean Sea : 2. On the right-hand coast next below Berenice is the country of the Berbers. Along the shore are the Fish-Eaters, living in scattered caves in the narrow valleys. Farther inland are the Berbers, and beyond them

490-645: A tribune and two centurions into this country, who reached the city of Meroë where they were given an escort, then proceeded up the White Nile until they encountered the swamps of the Sudd . This marked the limit of Roman penetration into Africa. The period following Petronius' punitive expedition is marked by abundant trade finds at sites in Meroë. L. P. Kirwan provides a short list of finds from archeological sites in that country. The kingdom of Meroë began to fade as

560-458: Is assumed that they had shrines at the top, but no archaeological evidence supports this and the only textual evidence is from Herodotus . Access to the shrine would have been by a series of ramps on one side of the ziggurat or by a spiral ramp from base to summit. The most famous African pyramids are in Egypt — huge structures built of bricks or stones, primarily limestone, some of which are among

630-640: Is possible that the Egyptian word for gold , nub , was the source of name of Nubia . Trade in "exotic" animals from farther south in Africa was another feature of their economy. Apart from the iron trade, pottery was a widespread and prominent industry in the Meroë kingdom. The production of fine and elaborately decorated wares was a strong tradition within the middle Nile. Such productions carried considerable social significance and are believed to be involved in mortuary rites. The long history of goods imported into

700-650: Is that these pyramids were inspired by the Borobudur monument through Sumatran and Javanese monks. A similar Buddhist monument survives in Vrang , Tajikistan . At least nine Buddhist step pyramids survive, 4 from former Gyeongsang Province of Korea, 3 from Japan, 1 from Indonesia (Borobudur) and 1 from Tajikistan . Several pyramids were erected throughout the Pacific islands, such as Puʻukoholā Heiau in Hawaii ,

770-1021: Is the Mesoamerican Great Pyramid of Cholula , in the Mexican state of Puebla . For millennia, the largest structures on Earth were pyramids—first the Red Pyramid in the Dashur Necropolis and then the Great Pyramid of Khufu , both in Egypt —the latter is the only extant example of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World . The Mesopotamians built the earliest pyramidal structures, called ziggurats . In ancient times, these were brightly painted in gold / bronze . They were constructed of sun-dried mud-brick, and little remains of them. Ziggurats were built by

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840-1176: The Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram . However, the largest temple (area) is the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tamil Nadu . The Thanjavur temple was built by Raja Raja Chola in the 11th century. The Brihadisvara Temple was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987; the Temple of Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram were added in 2004. Austronesian megalithic culture in Indonesia featured earth and stone step pyramid structures called punden berundak. These were discovered in Pangguyangan near Cisolok and in Cipari near Kuningan. The stone pyramids were based on beliefs that mountains and high places were

910-650: The Kingdom of Kush . The Kingdom of Kush spanned the period c. 800 BC – c. 350 AD. Initially, its main capital was farther north at Napata . King Aspelta moved the capital to Meroë, considerably farther south than Napata , possibly c. 591 BC, just after the sack of Napata by Egyptian Pharaoh Psamtik II . Martin Meredith states the Kushite rulers chose Meroë, between the Fifth and Sixth Cataracts , because it

980-635: The Nobiin language , instead belongs to the Eastern Sudanic branch of the Nilo-Saharan family. The site of Meroë was brought to the knowledge of Europeans in 1821 by the French mineralogist Frédéric Cailliaud (1787–1869), who published an illustrated in-folio describing the ruins. His work included the first publication of the southernmost known Latin inscription. As Margoliouth notes in

1050-814: The Nubian language of the successor Nubian kingdoms. It is uncertain to which language family the Meroitic language is related. Kirsty Rowan suggests that Meroitic, like the Egyptian language , belongs to the Afro-Asiatic family. She bases this on its sound inventory and phonotactics , which, she proposes, are similar to those of the Afro-Asiatic languages and dissimilar from those of the Nilo-Saharan languages. Claude Rilly, based on its syntax, morphology, and known vocabulary, proposes that Meroitic, like

1120-932: The Pulemelei Mound in Samoa , and Nan Madol in Pohnpei . With the Egyptian Revival movement in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, pyramids became more common in funerary architecture. The tomb of Quintino Sella , outside the monumental cemetery of Oropa , is pyramid-shaped. This style was popular with tycoons in the US. The Schoenhofen Pyramid Mausoleum (1889) in Chicago and Hunt's Tomb (1930) in Phoenix, Arizona are notable examples. Some people build pyramid tombs for themselves. Nicolas Cage bought

1190-611: The Sumerians , Babylonians , Elamites , Akkadians , and Assyrians . Each ziggurat was part of a temple complex that included other buildings. The ziggurat's precursors were raised platforms that date from the Ubaid period of the fourth millennium BC. The earliest ziggurats began near the end of the Early Dynastic Period . The original pyramidal structure, the anu ziggurat, dates to around 4000 BC. The White Temple

1260-480: The feudal era, e.g. as the tower of Oviedo 's Gothic Cathedral of San Salvador . Andean cultures used pyramids in various architectural structures such as the ones in Caral , Túcume and Chavín de Huantar , constructed around the same time as early Egyptian pyramids. Several Mesoamerican cultures built pyramid-shaped structures. Mesoamerican pyramids were usually stepped, with temples on top, more similar to

1330-757: The "Island of Meroë", which was the modern region of Butana , a region bounded by the Nile (from the Atbarah River to Khartoum ), the Atbarah and the Blue Nile . The city of Meroë was on the edge of Butana . There were two other Meroitic cities in Butana: Musawwarat es-Sufra and Naqa . The first of these sites was given the name Meroë by the Persian king Cambyses , in honor of his sister who

1400-496: The 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica , small scale excavations occurred in 1834, led by Giuseppe Ferlini , who, as Margoliouth states, "discovered (or professed to discover) various antiquities, chiefly in the form of jewelry, now in the museums of Berlin and Munich ." Margoliouth continues, The ruins were examined in 1844 by C. R. Lepsius , who brought many plans, sketches and copies, besides actual antiquities, to Berlin. Further excavations were carried on by E. A. Wallis Budge in

1470-649: The 4th century AD. The Aksumite presence was short lived before Meroë was taken by the Kingdom of Alodia . A stele of Ge'ez of an unnamed ruler of the Kingdom of Aksum thought to be Ezana was found at the site of Meroë; from its description, in Greek , he was "King of the Aksumites and the Omerites ," (i.e. of Aksum and Himyar ) it is likely this king ruled sometime around 330. Another inscription in Greek gives

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1540-473: The 5th and 4th centuries. Normally this technique is used for dating pottery , but researchers used it to try to date stone flakes from the structure walls. This launched debate about whether or not these structures are actually older than Egypt , part of the Black Athena controversy. Lefkowitz criticised this research, suggesting that some of the research was done not to determine the reliability of

1610-543: The Amun Temple. Meroë flourished and many building projects were undertaken. The first king of the period is Arakamani (270–260 BC), the last ruler is Queen Amanitore (mid/late 1st century AD) Many artifacts were found in Meroitic tombs from around this time. Rome's conquest of Egypt led to border skirmishes and incursions by Meroë beyond the Roman borders. In 23 BC, in response to a Nubian attack on southern Egypt,

1680-523: The Egyptian ones. Pyramids were built in Sudan as late as 200 AD. The Tomb of Askia, in Gao , Mali , is believed to be the burial place of Askia Mohammad I , one of the Songhai Empire 's most prolific emperors . It was built at the end of the fifteenth century and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . UNESCO describes the tomb as an example of the monumental mud-building traditions of

1750-547: The Hellenikon structure is rectangular rather than square, 12.5 by 14 metres (41 by 46 ft) which means that the sides could not have met at a point. The stone used to build these structures was limestone quarried locally and was cut to fit, not into freestanding blocks like the Great Pyramid of Giza. These structures were dated from pot shards excavated from the floor and grounds. The latest estimates are around

1820-431: The Meroitic empire and distribution of certain crafts and manufactures may have been politically important with their iron industry and pottery crafts gaining the most significant attention. The Meroitic settlements were oriented in a savannah orientation with the varying of permanent and less permanent agricultural settlements can be attributed to the exploitation of rainlands and savannah-oriented forms of subsistence. At

1890-461: The Meroitic empire and their subsequent distribution provides insight into the social and political workings of the Meroitic state. The major determinant of production was attributed to the availability of labor rather than the political power associated with land. Power was associated with control of people rather than control of territory. The sakia , was used to move water, in conjunction with irrigation, to increase crop production. At its peak,

1960-618: The Meroitic kingdom that allowed for the rise in power of its people. According to partially deciphered Meroitic texts, Meroitic "d" was transcribed in foreign languages as "r", with the native name of the city being Medewi . The Kings ruled over Napata and Meroë. The seat of government and the royal palace were in Meroë . The Main temple of Amun was located in Napata . Kings and many queens are buried in Nuri , some queens are buried in Meroë , in

2030-637: The Mesopotamian ziggurat than the Egyptian pyramid. The largest by volume is the Great Pyramid of Cholula , in the Mexican state of Puebla . Constructed from the 3rd century BC to the 9th century AD, this pyramid is the world's largest monument, and is still not fully excavated. The third largest pyramid in the world, the Pyramid of the Sun , at Teotihuacan , is also located in Mexico . An unusual pyramid with

2100-459: The Nigerian town of Nsude, northern Igboland . Ten pyramidal structures were built of clay/mud. The first base section was 60 ft (18 m) in circumference and 3 ft (0.9 m) in height. The next stack was 45 ft (14 m) in circumference. Circular stacks continued to the top. The structures were temples for the god Ala , who was believed to reside there. A stick was placed at

2170-462: The Roman governor of Egypt, Publius Petronius , invaded Nubia to end the Meroitic raids. He pillaged northern Nubia and sacked Napata (22 BC) before returning home. In retaliation, the Nubians crossed the lower border of Egypt and looted many statues from the Egyptian towns near the first cataract of the Nile at Aswan. Roman forces later reclaimed some of the statues, and others were returned following

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2240-640: The West African Sahel . The complex includes the pyramidal tomb, two mosques , a cemetery and an assembly ground. At 17 metres (56 ft) in height it is the largest pre- colonial architectural monument in Gao. It is a notable example of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style that later spread throughout the region. One of the unique structures of Igbo culture was the Nsude pyramids, in

2310-473: The West Cemetery. The earliest king was Analmaye (542–538 BC) and the last king of the first phase is Nastasen (335–315 BC) In the fifth century BC, Greek historian Herodotus described it as "a great city...said to be the mother city of the other Ethiopians." Excavations revealed evidence of important, high ranking Kushite burials from the Napatan Period (c. 800 – c. 280 BC) in the vicinity of

2380-586: The Wild-flesh-Eaters and Calf-Eaters, each tribe governed by its chief; and behind them, farther inland, in the country towards the west, there lies a city called Meroe. Kings were buried in Meroë , in the North Cemetery, and Queens in West Cemetery. In 350 AD Meroë was destroyed by Axum . The first king of the fourth period was Shorkaror (1st century AD), while the last rulers may have been King Yesebokheamani or King Talakhidamani in

2450-705: The abode for the spirit of the ancestors . The step pyramid is the basic design of the 8th century Borobudur Buddhist monument in Central Java . However later Java temples were influenced by Indian Hindu architecture , as exemplified by the spires of Prambanan temple. In the 15th century, during late Majapahit period, Java saw the revival of indigenous Austronesian elements as displayed by Sukuh temple that somewhat resemble Mesoamerican pyramids, and also stepped pyramids of Mount Penanggungan. In east Asia, Buddhist stupas were usually represented as tall pagodas . However, some pyramidal stupas survive. One theory

2520-414: The city of Meroë, which was then called Saba. The city was built near the confluence of two great rivers and was encircled by a formidable wall, and governed by a renegade king. To ensure the safety of his men who traversed that desert country, Moses had invented a stratagem whereby the Egyptian army would carry along with them baskets of sedge, each containing an ibis, only to be released when they approached

2590-419: The dating method, as was suggested, but to back up a claim and to make points about pyramids and Greek civilization. She claimed that not only were the results imprecise, but that other structures mentioned in the research are not in fact pyramids, e.g. a tomb alleged to be the tomb of Amphion and Zethus near Thebes , a structure at Stylidha ( Thessaly ) which is a long wall, etc. She pushed the possibility that

2660-436: The district of Chacona, part of the town of Güímar on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands . The structures were dated to the 19th century and their function explained as a byproduct of contemporary agricultural techniques. Autochthonous Guanche traditions as well as surviving images indicate that similar structures (also known as, "Morras", "Majanos", "Molleros", or "Paredones") were built in many locations on

2730-429: The enemy's country. The purpose of the birds was to kill the deadly serpents that lay all about that country. Having successfully laid siege to the city, the city was eventually subdued by the betrayal of the king's daughter, who had agreed to deliver the city to Moses on condition that he would consummate a marriage with her, under the solemn assurance of an oath. Meroë was the base of a flourishing kingdom whose wealth

2800-403: The exercise of state power over subsistence production. The Kingdom of Kush which housed the city of Meroë represents one of a series of early states located within the middle Nile. It was one of the earliest and most advanced states found on the African continent. Looking at the specificity of the surrounding early states within the middle Nile, one's understanding of Meroë in combination with

2870-414: The hills, such as those in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor's West Bank. In Medinat Habu and Deir el-Medina , smaller pyramids were built by individuals. Smaller pyramids with steeper sides were built by the Nubians who ruled Egypt in the Late Period. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. At 146.6 metres (481 ft) it was the tallest structure in

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2940-399: The historical developments of other historic states may be enhanced through looking at the development of power relation characteristics within other Nile Valley states. The site of the city of Meroë is marked by more than two hundred pyramids in three groups, of which many are in ruins. They have the distinctive size and proportions of Nubian pyramids . Meroë was the southern capital of

3010-472: The island. However, over time they were dismantled and used as building material. Güímar hostred nine pyramids, only six of which survive. The 27-metre-high Pyramid of Cestius was built by the end of the 1st century BC and survives close to the Porta San Paolo . Another, named Meta Romuli , stood in the Ager Vaticanus (today's Borgo ), but was destroyed at the end of the 15th century. Pyramids were occasionally used in Christian architecture during

3080-409: The majority of its mass closer to the ground with less mass towards the pyramidion at the apex . This is due to the gradual decrease in the cross-sectional area along the vertical axis with increasing elevation. This offers a weight distribution that allowed early civilizations to create monumental structures. Civilizations in many parts of the world have built pyramids. The largest pyramid by volume

3150-457: The museum at Khartoum . In 1910, in consequence of a report by Professor Archibald Sayce , excavations were commenced in the mounds of the town and the necropolis by J[ohn] Garstang on behalf of the University of Liverpool , and the ruins of a palace and several temples were discovered, built by the Meroite kings. In June 2011, the Archeological Sites of Meroë were listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Pyramid A pyramid has

3220-464: The number of humans sacrificed. Many pre-Columbian Native American societies of ancient North America built large pyramidal earth structures known as platform mounds . Among the largest and best-known of these structures is Monks Mound at the site of Cahokia in what became Illinois , completed around 1100 AD. It has a base larger than that of the Great Pyramid. Many mounds underwent repeated episodes of expansion. They are believed to have played

3290-409: The peace treaty signed in 22 BC between Rome and Meroë under Augustus and Amanirenas , respectively. One looted head , from a statue of the emperor Augustus , was buried under the steps of a temple in Meroë; it is now kept in the British Museum . The next recorded contact between Rome and Meroë was in the autumn of 61 AD. The Emperor Nero sent a party of Praetorian soldiers under the command of

3360-420: The people of Meroë also had southern deities such as Apedemak , the lion-son of Sekhmet (or Bast , depending upon the region), they also continued worshipping ancient Egyptian gods that they had brought with them. Among these deities were Amun , Tefnut , Horus , Isis , Thoth and Satis , though to a lesser extent. The collapse of their external trade with other Nile Valley states may be considered one of

3430-457: The prime causes of the decline of royal power and disintegration of the Meroitic state in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. The Meroitic language was spoken in Meroë and the Sudan during the Meroitic period (attested from 300 BC). It became extinct around 400 AD. The language was written in two forms of the Meroitic alphabet : Meroitic Cursive, which was written with a stylus and was used for general record-keeping; and Meroitic Hieroglyphic, which

3500-544: The regnal claims of Ezana : I, Ezana , King of the Axumites and Himyarites and of Reeidan and of the Sabaites and of Sileel (?) and of Hasa and of the Bougaites and of Taimo... While some authorities interpret these inscriptions as proof that the Axumites destroyed the Kingdom of Kush, others note that archeological evidence points to an economic and political decline in Meroë around 300. Jewish oral tradition avers that Moses , in his younger years, had led an Egyptian military expedition into Sudan (Kush), as far as

3570-403: The reliefs on the chapel walls, already described by Lepsius, and containing the names with representations of queens and some kings, with some chapters of the Book of the Dead ; some steles with inscriptions in the Meroitic language, and some vessels of metal and earthenware. The best of the reliefs were taken down stone by stone in 1905, and set up partly in the British Museum and partly in

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3640-466: The royal palace are in Meroë. Kings and many queens are buried in Meroë , in the South Cemetery. Napata remained relevant for the Amun Temple. The first King of the period was Aktisanes (Early 3rd century BC) and the last king of the period was Sabrakamani (first half 3rd century BC). The seat of government and the royal palace are in Meroë . Kings are buried in Meroë , in the North Cemetery, and Queens in West Cemetery. Napata remained relevant for

3710-427: The rulers of Meroë controlled the Nile Valley north to south, over a straight-line distance of more than 1,000 km (620 mi). The King of Meroë was an autocratic ruler who shared his authority only with the Queen Mother, or Candace . However, the role of the Queen Mother remains obscure. The administration consisted of treasurers , seal bearers, heads of archives and chief scribes , among others. Although

3780-673: The same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merowe&oldid=1195696842 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Mero%C3%AB Meroë ( / ˈ m ɛr oʊ iː / ; also spelled Meroe ; Meroitic : Medewi ; Arabic : مرواه , romanized :  Meruwah and مروي , Meruwi ; Ancient Greek : Μερόη , romanized :  Meróē )

3850-440: The settlement called the Western Cemetery. The importance of the town gradually increased from the beginning of the Meroitic Period , especially from the reign of Arakamani (c. 280 BC) when the royal burial ground was transferred to Meroë from Napata ( Gebel Barkal ). Royal burials formed the Pyramids of Meroë , containing the remains of the Kings and Queens of Meroë from c. 300 BC to about 350 AD. The seat of government and

3920-464: The seven pre-imperial kingdoms) was buried under a large mound outside modern-day Xi'an . In the following centuries about a dozen more Han dynasty royal persons were also buried under flat-topped pyramidal earthworks. Numerous giant, granite , temple pyramids were built in South India during the Chola Empire , many of which remain in use. Examples include Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur , Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram , and

3990-418: The stones that were dated might have been recycled from earlier constructions. She claimed that earlier research from the 1930s, confirmed in the 1980s by Fracchia, was ignored. Liritzis responded that Lefkowitz failed to understand and misinterpreted the methodology. The Pyramids of Güímar refer to six rectangular pyramid-shaped, terraced structures, built from lava without mortar . They are located in

4060-533: The sun in its eternal round. As of 2008, some 135 pyramids had been discovered in Egypt, most located near Cairo. While African pyramids are commonly associated with Egypt, Sudan has 220 extant pyramids, the most in the world. Nubian pyramids were constructed (roughly 240 of them) at three sites in Sudan to serve as tombs for the kings and queens of Napata and Meroë . The pyramids of Kush, also known as Nubian Pyramids , have different characteristics than those of Egypt. The Nubian pyramids had steeper sides than

4130-418: The time, iron was one of the most important metals worldwide, and Meroitic metalworkers were among the best in the world. Meroë traded ivory, slaves, rare skins, ostrich feathers, copper, and ebony. Meroë also exported textiles and jewelry . Their textiles were based on cotton and working on this product reached its highest achievement in Nubia around 400 BC. Furthermore, Nubia was very rich in gold . It

4200-424: The top to represent the god's residence. The structures were laid in groups of five parallel to each other. Because it was built of clay/mud like the Deffufa of Nubia, over time periodic reconstruction has been required. Pausanias (2nd century AD) mentions two buildings resembling pyramids, one, 19 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of a still standing structure at Hellenikon, a common tomb for soldiers who died in

4270-420: The world until the Lincoln Cathedral was finished in 1311 AD. Its base covers an area of around 53,000 square metres (570,000 sq ft). The Great Pyramid is the only extant one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World . Ancient Egyptian pyramids were, in most cases, placed west of the river Nile because the divine pharaoh's soul was meant to join with the sun during its descent before continuing with

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4340-411: The world's largest constructions. They are shaped in reference to the sun's rays. Most had a smoothed white limestone surface. Many of the facing stones have fallen or were removed and used for construction in Cairo . The capstone was usually made of limestone, granite or basalt and some were plated with electrum . Ancient Egyptians built pyramids from 2700 BC until around 1700 BC. The first pyramid

4410-462: The years 1902 and 1905, the results of which are recorded in his work, The Egyptian Sudan: its History and Monuments … Troops were furnished by Sir Reginald Wingate , governor of the Sudan, who made paths to and between the pyramids, and sank shafts, &c. It was found that the pyramids were regularly built over sepulchral chambers, containing the remains of bodies either burned or buried without being mummified. The most interesting objects found were

4480-444: Was an ancient city on the east bank of the Nile about 6 km north-east of the Kabushiya station near Shendi , Sudan , approximately 200 km north-east of Khartoum . Near the site is a group of villages called Bagrawiyah ( Arabic : البجراوية ). This city was the capital of the Kingdom of Kush for several centuries from around 590 BC, until its collapse in the 4th century AD. The Kushitic Kingdom of Meroë gave its name to

4550-458: Was built on top of it circa 3500 BC. Built in receding tiers upon a rectangular, oval, or square platform, the ziggurat was a pyramidal structure with a flat top. Sun-baked bricks made up the core of the ziggurat with facings of fired bricks on the outside. The facings were often glazed in different colors and may have had astrological significance. Kings sometimes had their names engraved on them. The number of tiers ranged from two to seven. It

4620-443: Was called by that name. The city had originally borne the ancient appellation Saba , named after the country's original founder. The eponym Saba , or Seba , is named for one of the sons of Cush (see Genesis 10:7). The presence of numerous Meroitic sites within the western Butana region and on the border of Butana proper is significant to the settlement of the core of the developed region. The orientation of these settlements exhibit

4690-418: Was carved in stone or used for royal or religious documents. It is not well understood due to the scarcity of bilingual texts. The earliest inscription in Meroitic writing dates from between 180 and 170 BC. These hieroglyphics were found engraved on the temple of Queen Shanakdakhete . Meroitic Cursive is written horizontally, and reads from right to left like all Semitic orthographies. By the 3rd century BC,

4760-400: Was centered around a strong iron industry. Metalworking is believed to have taken place in Meroë, possibly through bloomeries and blast furnaces . Archibald Sayce reportedly referred to it as "the Birmingham of Africa", because of perceived vast production and trade of iron (a contention that is a matter of debate in modern scholarship). The centralized control of production within

4830-442: Was erected during the Third Dynasty by the Pharaoh Djoser and his architect Imhotep . This step pyramid consisted of six stacked mastabas . Early kings such as Snefru built pyramids, with subsequent kings adding to the number until the end of the Middle Kingdom . The age of the pyramids reached its zenith at Giza in 2575–2150 BC. The last king to build royal pyramids was Ahmose , with later kings hiding their tombs in

4900-448: Was on the fringe of the summer rainfall belt, and the area was rich in iron ore and hardwood for iron working . The location also afforded access to trade routes to the Red Sea . The city of Meroë was located along the middle Nile which is of much importance due to the annual flooding of the Nile river valley and the connection to many major river systems such as the Niger which aided with the production of pottery and iron characteristic to

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