Sudan is a country that has experienced violent civil wars, an uncertain destiny, and a troubled history. It may have contributed to keeping the country secretive. The landscapes, the hospitality of a people and its architecture are entirely unknown. From the secret pyramids in Meroe, there are nearly three hundred of them. Yes, the information on these Nubian necropolises is open, and one can generally get a lot of information on the subject. What becomes more complicated is when one looks at all the pyramids that could be present on the Sudanese territory.
The history of the pyramids of Meroe
Meroe is the name given to an ancient city of an African kingdom, Nubia. This region nowadays designates a part of northern Sudan and southern Egypt, so the Kingdom of Nubia was an independent kingdom that appeared around the beginning of the third century BC. The Kingdom of Nubia was therefore, a sovereign country that appeared around the beginning of the third century BC, an empire that experienced a golden age around the first century AD before disappearing around the middle of the fourth century in the face of repeated assaults by the powerful Ethiopian army. It was only in 1822 that French explorers “discovered” the archaeological site of Meroe. From then on, everything accelerated for most Arab of the African countries. From the beginning, the Royalty was towards Zapata to slide towards Meroe. And it is thus in Meroe that one will find an excessive concentration of pyramids. The testimony of the presence of a robust and influential civilization which has today completely disappeared.
Naga, the other treasure of Meroe…
Not far from the pyramids, the site of Naga is an architectural jewel. It testifies to the greatness of the Nubian civilization. Naga is a kind of mixture of Greek, Egyptian, and Roman architecture. This city only increases the mystery of the culture of Meroe. Entirely only because the texts found engraved do not allow us to understand the language. Linguists can discover the meaning of each word, but they are unable to understand the meaning. The only possibility of understanding this language and deciphering the mysteries of this civilization will be to find a Rosetta Stone, a bilingual text. As in the case of the Egyptian script.
The Case of the Destructions by Giuseppe Ferlini
In August 1834, Ferlini Giuseppe decided to go on an expedition to Sudan in search of gold from Meroe’s pyramids.
Nubia a forgotten kingdom
Giuseppe Ferlini discovers while enlisting as a doctor in the Egyptian army, that a mysterious civilization has flourished for centuries. Nubia is a forgotten kingdom whose history is linked mainly to Egyptian culture. The strength of Nubia is above all the immense quantity of gold to which this civilization has access. Ideally located on the Nile, this kingdom is situated at a crossroads. Via this empire transit of ivory, animal pots, and gold. The Nubian craftsmen are not to be outdone, and it must be said that they excel in the making of jewelry. The Nubian craftsmen are not to be outdone, and it must be recognized that they excel in the manufacture of jewelry, which inevitably promotes trade and commerce with nearby Egypt. Nubian pottery is recognized as the finest and most accomplished of all antiquity. The Nubian pottery is known to be the finest and most sophisticated of all antiquity, and this has whetted the appetite of grave robbers, especially an Italian from Bologna.
Ferlini, the grave robber who would use explosives
When this Italian “explorer” deserts the army, he has the firm intention of going to Sudan. It must be said that the idea of traveling through the desert in search of the gold of the Nubians is an idea that fascinates him. For his first attempt, Giuseppe Ferlini was rewarded for his efforts. Accompanied by workers, he began the “dismantling” or destruction of pyramid number six. And O surprise, he came across the treasure of Queen Candace Amanishakhéto. Today the high pyramid, which was about thirty meters high, is no longer just a pile of stones. Part of this treasure is now on display in a museum in Munich. From this first success, Ferlini decided to use explosives to save time and avoid employing too many workers. From that moment on, the Italian will blow up more than forty pyramids. Unfortunately for him, apart from destroying an architectural treasure, he didn’t find much. Ferlini’s greed is one of the reasons why dozens of ruined pyramids can be seen today.
Sudan, the land of black gold and forgotten pyramids…
Sudan, which means “land of the blacks” in Arabic, is a country that is full of oil. Moreover, this wealth will lead to numerous civil wars and other tensions for the control of this immense territory. It must be said that Sudan was before 2011, the largest country in Africa. But the secession between the Muslim north of the country and the Christian south of Sudan changed the situation. The result today is two countries that are experiencing post-civil war difficulties on both sides. For example, the young state of South Sudan has also been plunged into a civil war since it gained “independence,” so the conflicts and wars in Sudan have created isolation during the clashes. The conflicts and wars in Sudan have, therefore, created isolation during the clashes and made it very difficult or even impossible to get to Meroe. But in a second phase, faced with Sudan’s exactions in South Sudan, the international community froze all forms of aid.
The unknown pyramids of Meroe
Although the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the country has not received assistance for the conservation and study of Meroe’s archaeological site. However, if one studies the Egyptian model, one can imagine that many pyramids must be buried under tons of sand. Sand and dunes that have had time to swallow these Nubian tombs during the last fifteen centuries. The Louvre museum’s former royal site of Mouweis was chosen a few years ago to carry out excavations. But Mouweis is not the only Nubian site, Danghei is also a vast city located about ten hours from the capital Khartoum. That is to say about 350 kilometers of track.
Meroe, the empire of the black pharaohs, has not finished fascinating the world of archaeologists. Sudan today has almost three times as many pyramids as Egypt. Decidedly, Sudan is one of the places to see pyramids in the world.