Editing Nubian pyramids (section)

==Chronology and organization of Nubian burial sites==
The Nubian pyramids were built over a period of a few hundred years to serve as tombs for the kings and queens and wealthy citizens of [[Napata]] and [[Meroë]]. The four main sites in which these pyramids hold prominence are [[El-Kurru]], [[Nuri]], [[Jebel Barkal]], and [[Meroë|Meroe]]. The first three sites are located around Napata in Lower Nubia, near the modern town of [[Karima, Sudan|Karima]].

The earliest pyramids in [[El-Kurru|El Kurru]] were constructed in [[751 BC]],<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=Joseph |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qp_tAAAAMAAJ&q=the+first+nubian+pyramid+BC |title=Taking Sides: Clashing Views in World History, Volume 1: The Ancient World to the Pre-Modern Era , Expanded |last2=Mitchell |first2=Helen Buss |date=2009-03-27 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Education |isbn=978-0-07-812758-8 |language=en}}</ref> which formed the center of the Empire of Kush during the Napatan period, ca. 850-300 BC.<ref>{{Citation |last=Heidorn |first=Lisa A. |title=THE BOSTON MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS POTTERY FROM THE TWENTY-FIFTH DYNASTY TOMBS AT EL-KURRU AND NURI |date=2018-09-04 |work=Nubian Archaeology in the XXIst Century |pages=317–332 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1q26wt1.28 |access-date=2024-11-09 |publisher=Peeters Publishers|doi=10.2307/j.ctv1q26wt1.28 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> It is recognized as the origin of the tombs belonging to the rulers of Egypt and Nubia's 25th Dynasty, {{Circa|750–664 BC}}, along with their ancestors.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=PETACCHI |first=Simone |date=2022 |title=Napatan Tomb Decorations. Loans from Private Theban Burials in the Royal Kushite Necropolises |journal=Trabajos de Egiptología. Papers on Ancient Egypt |issue=13 |pages=239–254 |doi=10.25145/j.tde.2022.13.07 |issn=1695-4750|doi-access=free }}</ref> The tradition of building royal Kushite pyramids is believed to have originated from King Piankhy. This burial tradition was continued by Piye's successor [[Shabataka]], [[Shabaka]]. and [[Tanwetamani]]. 

Later these pyramids begin to be built 26 kilometers upstream from El-Kurru at the site of Nuri which contains burials from 670-310 BC. The earliest burial at Nuri is accredited to King Taharqo who ruled from 690–664 BC.<ref name="quarries"/> The oldest and largest pyramid at Nuri–and in all of Nubia–is that of the Napatan king and Twenty-fifth Dynasty pharaoh [[Taharqa]]. His tomb, standing at 160–180 feet tall, differed from other Nubian pyramids in the manner that it mirrored the tomb of Osiris, an Egyptian pyramid. The pyramid was built on the left bank of the Nile, typically the west bank representing sunset and death. However, due to the bend of the Nile at Nuri, the left bank is actually the east bank representing sunrise and rebirth. In this way, the tomb was used to associate Taharqa's passing with new beginnings and rebirth, paving the way to a new golden age with the ushering in of the next ruler.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kendall |first=Timothy |date=October 2003 |title=A tomb for all time |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A112538829/ITOF?u=umuser&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b7345d85 |journal=Calliope |publisher=Cricket Media |volume=14 |issue=2 |via=Gale General OneFile}}</ref> This necropolis was the burial place of 21 kings and 52 queens and princes including Anlami and Aspelta. The bodies of these kings were placed in huge granite sarcophagi. Aspelta's weighed 15.5 tons, and its lid weighed four tons.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lehner |first=Mark |url=https://archive.org/details/completepyramids00lehn |title=The Complete Pyramids |publisher=Thames and Hudson |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-500-05084-2 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/completepyramids00lehn/page/196 196]–197 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

The next burial sites appear at [[Jebel Barkal]] from late 4th century. This location was an important political and religious centre of the [[Kingdom of Kush]], ancient Napata.<ref name="quarries"/> The pyramids here are located beside the mountain of [[Jebel Barkal]] and consist of 25 pyramids that are split into 2 areas. The earliest pyramids at Jebel Barkal date from the beginning of the 3rd century while the second group of pyramids dates to the 1st century BC.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dunham |first=Dows |title=Royal Tombs at Meroe and Barkal |publisher=Museum of Fine Arts |year=1950 |edition=Volume 4}}</ref>

Eventually, the prosperity of the Nubian kingdom began to decline. [[Assyria]]ns invaded Nubia, forcing [[Taharqa|Taharqa's]] successor to flee from Egypt. Following this, a new Egyptian dynasty formed, defeating the Nubians and regaining its independence in 593 BC In response, the capital of Nubia was moved from Napata to Meroe. Nubian rulers consequently chose to be entombed in the new capital, and a new group of pyramids was built at Meroe. The pyramids at Meroe were built beginning in 270 BC and the construction of these pyramids lasted for over 700 years. Centuries passed, until the Nubian kingdom based in Meroe eventually fell to the [[Roman Empire|Romans]]. The last Nubian pyramid (and the last African pyramid) was built at Meroe around 350 AD.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Brier |first=Bob |date=September–October 2002 |title=The Other Pyramids |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41779066 |journal=Archaeology |volume=55 |issue=5 |pages=54–58 |jstor=41779066 }}</ref>