El-Kurru

El-Kurru is the oldest of the Kushite royal cemeteries, used by the ancestors of the dynasty that conquered Egypt and by several of its kings, and its best survival is a tomb cut into the rock below a ruined pyramid, its chambers painted with stars on the ceiling and figures on the walls, entered down a stair. A second decorated tomb is nearby. Excavation has continued at the site in recent years and a petrified forest lies close by.

Background

El-Kurru was the first of three royal cemeteries used by the Kushite kings of Napata, also known as Egypt's 25th Dynasty, and lies between the 3rd and 4th cataracts, with the Nile about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the east. It was in use mainly from about 860 BC until 650 BC. King Piye's tomb, of about 750 BC, is the first with a known name, and sixteen earlier tombs may belong to his predecessors. Tantamani, the last king of the dynasty, was buried here around 650 BC. Two wadis split the cemetery into three parts, with tumulus tombs and a row of at least eight pyramids. George Reisner first excavated the site in 1918 and 1919.

Source: Wikipedia, "El-Kurru"

What you'll find

• The painted tomb - the decorated rock-cut chambers with their starred ceiling.
• The pyramid remains - the ruined superstructures above the burial shafts.
• The dynastic significance - the cemetery of the family that took the Egyptian throne.
• The petrified forest - the fossil wood scattered near the site.

When to go

November to February is the cool season. March to May is extremely hot. The tomb interior is cooler than the surface.

Before you go

Access to the painted tomb depends on the guardian being present with keys. Photography inside is restricted to protect the paint. Travel in Sudan requires arrangements made well in advance.

Nearby

Karima and Gebel Barkal are upstream, and Old Dongola is northwest.

Key facts