Jebel Barkal
Encyclopedia
Jebel Barkal or Gebel Barkal is a very small mountain
located some 400 km north of Khartoum
, in Karima town
in Northern State
in Sudan
, on a large bend of the Nile River, in the region called Nubia
.
In 2003, the mountain, together with the historical
city of Napata
(which sits at its feet), were named World Heritage Site
s by UNESCO
.
Around 1450 BCE, the Egypt
ian Pharaoh
Thutmose III
extended his empire to that region and considered Gebel Barkal its southern limit. There, he campaigned near the city of Napata
that, about 300 years later, became the capital of the independent kingdom of Kush
. The 25th Dynasty Nubian king Piye
later greatly enlarged the New Kingdom Temple of Amun in this city and erected his Year 20 Victory stela within it.
The ruins around Gebel Barkal include at least 13 temples and 3 palaces, that were for the first time described by Europe
an explorers in the 1820s. In 1862 five inscriptions from the Third Intermediate Period were recovered by an Egyptian officer and transported to the Cairo Museum, but not until 1916 were scientific archeological excavations performed by a joint expedition of Harvard University
and the Museum of Fine Arts
of Boston
under the direction of George Reisner
. From the 1970’s, explorations continued by a team from the University of Rome La Sapienza
, under the direction of Sergio Donadoni, that was joined by another team from the Boston Museum, in the 1980’s, under the direction of Timothy Kendall. The larger temples, such as that of Amun
, are even today considered sacred to the local population.
The mountain is 98 m tall, has a flat top, and apparently was used as a landmark by the traders in the important route between central Africa
, Arabia, and Egypt
, as the point where it was easier to cross the great river.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
located some 400 km north of Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
, in Karima town
Karima, Sudan
Karima is a town in Northern State in Sudan some 400 km from Khartoum.- Transport :It lies on a loop on the River Nile and is also a terminus of a branch narrow gauge railway of the Sudan Railways system....
in Northern State
Northern, Sudan
Northern is one of the 15 wilayat or states of Sudan. It has an area of 348,765 km² and an estimated population of 833,743 . Dongola is the capital of the state. The town of Wadi Halfa, a headquarters of the British in the late nineteenth century, is located in the north of the province....
in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, on a large bend of the Nile River, in the region called Nubia
Nubia
Nubia is a region along the Nile river, which is located in northern Sudan and southern Egypt.There were a number of small Nubian kingdoms throughout the Middle Ages, the last of which collapsed in 1504, when Nubia became divided between Egypt and the Sennar sultanate resulting in the Arabization...
.
In 2003, the mountain, together with the historical
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
city of Napata
Napata
Napata was a city-state of ancient Nubia on the west bank of the Nile River, at the site of modern Karima, Northern Sudan.During the 8th to 7th centuries BC, Napata was the capital of the Nubian kingdom of Kush, whence the 25th, or Nubian Dynasty conquered Egypt...
(which sits at its feet), were named World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
.
Around 1450 BCE, the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
Thutmose III
Thutmose III
Thutmose III was the sixth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. During the first twenty-two years of Thutmose's reign he was co-regent with his stepmother, Hatshepsut, who was named the pharaoh...
extended his empire to that region and considered Gebel Barkal its southern limit. There, he campaigned near the city of Napata
Napata
Napata was a city-state of ancient Nubia on the west bank of the Nile River, at the site of modern Karima, Northern Sudan.During the 8th to 7th centuries BC, Napata was the capital of the Nubian kingdom of Kush, whence the 25th, or Nubian Dynasty conquered Egypt...
that, about 300 years later, became the capital of the independent kingdom of Kush
Kingdom of Kush
The native name of the Kingdom was likely kaš, recorded in Egyptian as .The name Kash is probably connected to Cush in the Hebrew Bible , son of Ham ....
. The 25th Dynasty Nubian king Piye
Piye
Piye, was a Kushite king and founder of the Twenty-fifth dynasty of Egypt who ruled Egypt from 747 BCE to 716 BCE according to Peter Clayton. He ruled from the city of Napata, located deep in Nubia, Sudan...
later greatly enlarged the New Kingdom Temple of Amun in this city and erected his Year 20 Victory stela within it.
The ruins around Gebel Barkal include at least 13 temples and 3 palaces, that were for the first time described by Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an explorers in the 1820s. In 1862 five inscriptions from the Third Intermediate Period were recovered by an Egyptian officer and transported to the Cairo Museum, but not until 1916 were scientific archeological excavations performed by a joint expedition of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and the Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
under the direction of George Reisner
George Reisner
-References:* * "Reisner, George Andrew." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2005. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 11 Nov. 2005 .-External links:...
. From the 1970’s, explorations continued by a team from the University of Rome La Sapienza
University of Rome La Sapienza
The Sapienza University of Rome, officially Sapienza – Università di Roma, formerly known as Università degli studi di Roma "La Sapienza", is a coeducational, autonomous state university in Rome, Italy...
, under the direction of Sergio Donadoni, that was joined by another team from the Boston Museum, in the 1980’s, under the direction of Timothy Kendall. The larger temples, such as that of Amun
Amun
Amun, reconstructed Egyptian Yamānu , was a god in Egyptian mythology who in the form of Amun-Ra became the focus of the most complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt...
, are even today considered sacred to the local population.
The mountain is 98 m tall, has a flat top, and apparently was used as a landmark by the traders in the important route between central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
, Arabia, and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, as the point where it was easier to cross the great river.
The Pyramids of Jebel Barkal
Jebel Barkal served as a royal cemetery during the Meroitic Kingdom. The earliest burials date back to the 3rd century BC.- Bar. 1 King from the middle of the 1st century BCE
- Bar. 2 King Teriqas (ca. 29-25 BCE)
- Bar. 4 Queen Amenirenas ? (1st century BCE)
- Bar. 6 Queen Nawidemak (1st century BCE)
- Bar. 7 King Sabrakamani? (3rd century BCE)
- Bar. 9 King or Queen of the early 2nd century CE
- Bar. 11 King AktisanesAktisanesAktisanes is a Nubian king who is mentioned by the Greek historian Hecataeus of Abdera. He is perhaps identical with Menmaatre-Setepenamun Gatisen known from Nubian sources.-Titles:*Horus name: Kanakht Merymaat...
or AryamaniAryamaniAryamani was a Nubian king-Titles:*Horus name: Kanakht Meryre *Prenomen: Usermaatre Setepenre...
(3rd century BCE) - Bar. 14 King AktisanesAktisanesAktisanes is a Nubian king who is mentioned by the Greek historian Hecataeus of Abdera. He is perhaps identical with Menmaatre-Setepenamun Gatisen known from Nubian sources.-Titles:*Horus name: Kanakht Merymaat...
or AryamaniAryamaniAryamani was a Nubian king-Titles:*Horus name: Kanakht Meryre *Prenomen: Usermaatre Setepenre...
(3rd century BCE) - Bar. 15 King Kash[…] ?(3rd century BCE)