The Nuri Necropolis

The significance of the Necropolis at Nuri

• Royal Cemetery of Kush: Nuri served as the main burial ground for the kings and queens of the Napatan period of the Kingdom of Kush (ca. 670–310 BCE).

• Shift from El-Kurru: When El-Kurru filled up, King Taharqa (690–664 BCE) established Nuri as the new royal necropolis.

• Religious & Cosmic Symbolism: Taharqa’s pyramid was aligned so that, viewed from Jebel Barkal on Egyptian New Year’s Day, the sun rose directly over its peak—linking kingship, Nile inundation, and cosmic renewal.

• UNESCO World Heritage: Since 2003, Nuri (together with Jebel Barkal and other Napatan sites) has been recognized as part of a World Heritage landscape.

• Scale: At its height, Nuri contained 80+ pyramids; today, about 20 still stand. It represents the largest concentration of Napatan royal pyramids.

Who is Buried At Nuri?

690–664 BCE   Taharqa,  Founder of Nuri necropolis; built the largest pyramid.

664–653 BCE   Tantamani, Successor of Taharqa; buried at Nuri.

643–623 BCE   Senkamanisken,  Expanded Kushite power; pyramid at Nuri.

593–568 BCE   Aspelta, Known for religious reforms; buried at Nuri.

568–555 BCE   Aramatle-qo, Pyramid at Nuri.

555–542 BCE   Amaninatakilebte, Pyramid at Nuri.

542–538 BCE   Malonaqen, Pyramid at Nuri.

404–369 BCE   Harsiotef, Pyramid at Nuri

369–364 BCE   Akhraten, Pyramid at Nuri.

364–362 BCE   Amanibakhi, Pyramid at Nuri.

362–350 BCE   Nastasen, the Last king, was buried at Nuri; his tomb is now partly flooded.

Current excavations

• Nuri Archaeological Expedition (launched 2017)
  
  

  • Director: Prof. Pearce Paul Creasman (American Center of Research; formerly University of Arizona).

  • Co-Directors: Dr. Meghan Strong (Cleveland Museum of Natural History), Dr. Thomas Davis (Lipscomb University).

  • Associate Directors: Dr. James K. Hoffmeier (Trinity International University), Dr. Abagail Breidenstein (University of Zurich). 

  • Assistant Director: Dr. M. Victoria Almansa-Villatoro (Brown University).

  • Specialists: Dr. Simone Petacchi (Stibbert Museum, Italy), Stephanie Denkowicz (Univ. of Manchester), Richard Harwood (The Egyptian Expedition), Justin Schneider (divemaster).

  • Sudanese Partner: National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM), represented by Fakhri Hassan Abdullah.

  • Training & Fieldwork: Archaeology Centre at Pima Community College (Arizona).

  • Support: Funded by the National Geographic Society and selected by the World Monuments Fund (2022 Watch List).

• Recent Work:
  
  

  • Underwater archaeology in the flooded tomb of King Nastasen.

  • Conservation of pyramid masonry and painted tombs (e.g., Queen Yeturow’s tomb with “Nubian green” pigment).

  • Digital mapping and 3D documentation of the necropolis.

690–664 BCE   Taharqa,  Founder of Nuri necropolis; built the largest pyramid.

664–653 BCE   Tantamani, Successor of Taharqa; buried at Nuri.

643–623 BCE   Senkamanisken,  Expanded Kushite power; pyramid at Nuri.

593–568 BCE   Aspelta, Known for religious reforms; buried at Nuri.

568–555 BCE   Aramatle-qo, Pyramid at Nuri.

555–542 BCE   Amaninatakilebte, Pyramid at Nuri.

542–538 BCE   Malonaqen, Pyramid at Nuri.

404–369 BCE   Harsiotef, Pyramid at Nuri

369–364 BCE   Akhraten, Pyramid at Nuri.

364–362 BCE   Amanibakhi, Pyramid at Nuri.

362–350 BCE   Nastasen, the Last king, was buried at Nuri; his tomb is now partly flooded.

 THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE LANIER CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGY

 Excavation Context

• Renewed excavations at Nuri, northern Sudan, began in 2017 under Pearce Paul Creasman (ACOR, Amman).

• Under Dr. James K. Hoffmeier, along with a team from Lipscomb University (LCA), Work focused on a temple near Taharqa’s pyramid, first uncovered by George Reisner ~100 years ago.

 Reisner’s Limitations

• Reisner did not fully document or analyze the temple’s carved reliefs.

• He also did not date the structure.

• He never located Taharqa’s funerary temple, raising the possibility this one served that role.

 Current Excavation Findings

• Temple had been completely buried by sand for a century.

• Excavation involved relocating and clearing the building.

• Reliefs are under study, but no royal names have been identified so far.

• Dating remains uncertain; attribution to Taharqa is possible but unconfirmed.

 Interpretation & Use

• If it was Taharqa’s funerary temple, it likely continued in use by later kings.

• Cushite funerary temples differ from Egyptian ones:

  • Egyptian examples often include historical texts and battle reliefs.

  • At Nuri, no such documentation exists.

• Therefore, the temple walls will not reveal Taharqa’s memory of his 701 BC Assyrian campaign.

Key Takeaway: The temple near Taharqa’s pyramid at Nuri may have been his funerary temple, but lack of inscriptions or royal names makes dating and attribution uncertain. Its continued use by later kings highlights differences between Egyptian and Cushite funerary traditions.