The ruins of the ancient city of Meroe, the capital of the mysterious kingdom of Kush mentioned in the Old Testament, lie on the right bank of the Nile, between Aswan and Khartoum, in what is now Sudan. In the 7th century BC. a powerful state emerged here, competing for influence in the region with Assyria. The rulers of Kush were buried in pyramids similar to those in Egypt. Details – in the photo gallery

The Kingdom of Kush ceased to exist in the 4th century AD, and for fifteen hundred years now the pyramids of rulers under Meroe have covered the desert sands

The pyramids in Meroe and the temples in Naga remain the main attraction for the few tourists coming to Sudan

Part of the pyramids was erected for the Egyptian pharaohs of the XXV dynasty, known as the Nubian or Kushite dynasty

For local residents, the work of a guide has become one of the most prestigious professions available.

The necropolis known as Begaravaya contains approximately 200 pyramids.

Not long ago, a modern information complex for tourists began operating in the vicinity of the pyramids.

Since 2011, Meroe and the surrounding area have been included in the list of UNESCO cultural heritage sites.

The desert encroaching on the monuments remains one of the main problems in preserving the necropolis

Temple of the Egyptian goddess Hathor south of Meroe. Cushitic culture largely followed Egyptian tradition; many religious beliefs were also shared by the inhabitants of ancient Nubia

In 1834, the Italian Giuseppe Ferlini arrived in Sudan and began searching for treasures in the pyramids. During the research, he blew up and almost completely destroyed five monuments