Jebel Barkal in Sudan

Jebel Barkal site

Jebel Barkal (in English: Barkal) in Sudan is a small mountain standing at a height of only 97.5 meters. This mountain has been used as a landmark by traders and explorers historically because of the ease of seeing its summit in the non-mountainous area that surrounds it. This mountain is clear and stands out without any other hills or mountain peaks in the surrounding area. This mountain is about 1248.8 km from Giza in Egypt. It contains many Egyptian pyramids in the Nuri area. The site also includes many pyramidal tombs dating back nearly thousands of years.^[1]

Jebel Barkal

Jebel Barkal and the city of Napata consist of five archaeological sites on both sides of the Nile in an arid region considered part of Nubia. It covers an area of 60 km. These sites are in Jebel Barkal, Al Karru, Nuri, Sanam and Zuma. Which represents the Nabataean culture in the history of 900-270 BC and the Meroitic culture in the year 270-350 BC in the second kingdom of Kush, The area also includes several tombs, pyramids , temples, palaces and residential complexes. They are traditional landmarks that show the shape of the political, religious, social and artistic scenes of the central and northern Nile Valley for more than 2,000 years.^[2]

Jebel Barkal locations

Jebel Barkal and its surrounding sites are characterized by great charm and continuous discoveries, and for this reason it is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among the most important sites that it consists of: ^[3]

• Jebel Barkal is a religious and administrative center located on a natural hill.
• El Kurru area, which is located 10 km from Jebel Barkal, and is considered the oldest site among the five sites that make up the total area. Three burials are at the site but only two have been identified and new discoveries are still being researched, and it is distinguished as a royal burial area only.
• The site of Nuri, which can be reached via a two-hour cruise, is a cemetery consisting of pyramid-shaped tombs, and has visual links with Jebel Barkal, and consists of nearly nineteen pyramids.
• The site of Sanam and Sanam (in English: Zuma and Sanam), which are smaller than the other sites, have been heavily excavated, and consist of Egyptian pyramids. The site of Sanam is known as a residential area and cemetery for the general public, while the site of Zuma is known as a burial ground.

the reviewer

1. ↑ Justin Findlay (25-4-2017), “Gebel Barkal Hill Sites Of Ancient Kush, Sudan” , www.worldatlas.com , Retrieved 1-8-2018. Edited.
2. ↑ “Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region” , www.whc.unesco.org , Retrieved 1-8-2018. Edited.
3. ↑ “GEBEL BARKAL” , www.worldheritagesite.org , Retrieved 1-8-2018. Edited.