Nestled deep in the golden sands of the Nubian Desert, along the east bank of the Nile in present-day Sudan, lies one of the most remarkable archaeological treasures of Africa — the Pyramids of Meroë. These striking stone monuments are the royal tombs of the Kingdom of Kush, an ancient civilization that flourished from the 8th century BCE to the 4th century CE.

While the pyramids of Egypt have long captured the world’s imagination, the pyramids of Meroë remained hidden and forgotten for centuries, buried beneath shifting desert dunes. They were rediscovered in 1821 by the French mineralogist and explorer Frédéric Cailliaud, who documented their grandeur and revealed to the modern world that the legacy of pyramid-building extended far beyond the borders of Egypt.

The Kingdom of Kush emerged in the aftermath of the collapse of Egypt’s New Kingdom around 1070 BCE, establishing its first capital at Napata and later shifting to Meroë around 590 BCE. Meroë became a vibrant center of political power, iron production, and art — often referred to by historians as the “African Birmingham” due to its advanced metalworking technology.

From Meroë, the Kusнιтe kings ruled a vast empire stretching from central Sudan to southern Egypt. For a time, they even conquered and ruled Egypt itself as the 25th Dynasty, known as the “Black Pharaohs.”

The Meroë necropolis lies about 200 kilometers northeast of Khartoum, divided into three main groups: the Northern Cemetery, the Southern Cemetery, and the Western Cemetery. Together, they contain over 200 pyramids, each built as the resting place of a royal figure.

Unlike the mᴀssive stone pyramids of Giza, the pyramids of Meroë are smaller, ranging from 6 to 30 meters in height, with much steeper angles. Each pyramid is constructed from sandstone blocks, meticulously cut and placed without mortar.

At the base of each structure lies a small chapel or offering temple, often decorated with bas-reliefs depicting the deceased king or queen making offerings to the gods, especially Amun, Isis, and Osiris. These carvings, filled with intricate Nubian and Egyptian symbolism, bridge two worlds — African idenтιтy and Pharaonic legacy.

The builders of Meroë used locally quarried sandstone, a durable yet workable material that allowed for precision carving. Evidence suggests that ramps and wooden scaffolding were used to transport and place the stones, similar to techniques in Egypt but adapted to the steeper architecture.

Each pyramid was aligned carefully with the cardinal directions, a testament to the Kusнιтes’ understanding of astronomy and geometry. The internal chambers, reached via descending staircases, contained the burial chambers of kings, queens, and nobles. These chambers often held gold jewelry, pottery, weapons, and ritual objects — many of which are now displayed in museums across the world, such as the National Museum of Sudan and the British Museum.

The pyramids served both as royal tombs and spiritual monuments — gateways for the soul’s journey to the afterlife. According to Kusнιтe beliefs, the pyramid was not merely a tomb but a sacred mountain, connecting the earth with the divine realm of the gods.

Unlike Egypt’s emphasis on grand interior tombs, the Kusнιтes placed greater symbolic importance on the external geometry and alignment of their pyramids. The steep angles and compact form may have represented the ascent of the spirit toward the heavens — a theme consistent in both African and Egyptian funerary traditions.

The art found on the chapel walls portrays queens (Kandakes) standing as equals to kings, sometimes even larger in depiction, signifying the matrilineal influence in Kusнιтe royal succession — a rarity in ancient civilizations.

After Frédéric Cailliaud’s rediscovery in 1821, further excavations were undertaken by Giuseppe Ferlini, an Italian treasure hunter, in 1834. Unfortunately, Ferlini’s methods were destructive — he blew up the tops of several pyramids in search of gold, irreparably damaging many monuments. Yet his finds, including exquisite jewelry and artifacts, confirmed the immense wealth and artistry of the Meroitic civilization.

In the 20th century, systematic archaeological work resumed under the University of Khartoum, the Sudanese Department of Antiquities, and international teams such as the Royal Ontario Museum and the University of Cambridge. Recent surveys using LIDAR and drone mapping have uncovered previously unknown structures beneath the sands, suggesting that the necropolis may extend far beyond current boundaries.

The Kusнιтe people developed their own Meroitic script around 300 BCE, one of the earliest written languages in Africa outside Egypt. Although scholars have partially deciphered it, the full meaning remains elusive. Inscriptions carved on pyramid walls and offering stelae give tantalizing glimpses into royal lineages and prayers for the afterlife — a silent echo of a civilization that spoke its own language of eternity.

The pyramids of Meroë stand as enduring symbols of African sovereignty and cultural idenтιтy. They demonstrate that Africa’s ancient civilizations were not merely extensions of Egypt, but powerful, innovative societies in their own right.

Their design reflects a synthesis of Egyptian theology, sub-Saharan art, and local craftsmanship, showing how the Kusнιтes adapted and redefined the concept of kingship and divinity.

Today, Meroë is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 2011), drawing historians, archaeologists, and travelers from around the world.

The Pyramids of Meroë are not just remnants of a forgotten empire — they are the voice of Africa’s deep past, whispering across the dunes. Each stone bears witness to a civilization that rose from the Nile’s southern banks and challenged Egypt’s dominance with its own brilliance.

Long after their builders vanished, the pyramids continue to stand — weathered yet unbroken, their sharp silhouettes cutting through the desert sky. They remind us that history is not only written in books, but also carved into the eternal silence of the sands.

A Farmer’s Misplaced Hammer Led to the Largest Roman Treasure in Britain

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November 16, 1992 was the day which changed Suffolk-resident Eric Lawes’ life in a huge way. What he thought would have been an innocent search for a hammer he had misplaced on his farm in Hoxne Village, Suffolk, England ended up bringing him much more than he had bargained for — namely, uncovering the hiding spot of a long-hidden treasure. Based on the Guardian’s coverage of the story, Eric Lawes had been previously gifted a metal detector upon his retirement as a parting token. He decided to put his retirement gift to good use in order to locate the hammer which he had had some trouble finding. According to a 2018 Smithsonian Magazine article, when the device started recording that there was a strong signal coming from the earth, he knew that he was about to discover something big. As he started digging, it soon became clear to him that he had unearthed a treasure trove.

The Guardian reports that, when Lawes saw that his preliminary digging had yielded a few gold coins and silver spoons, he immediately contacted both the local archaeological society and the police department. Archaeologists came to the property the following day and had the area of earth holding the treasure carefully sectioned-off and removed. Their hope was that at a later stage, in their laboratory, they could examined the items in order to identify both their age and how they were stored.

When all was said and done, close to 60 pounds of items made from silver and gold were found on the site. These included more than 15,000 Roman coins, 200 gold objects, and several silver spoons. For archaeologists, this find — which later became labeled as the Hoxne Hoard — was an incredible discovery. AP News reported that archaeologist Judith Plouviez was over-the-moon about the discovery, saying that it was “an incredibly exciting and amazing find.” What’s more, another archaeologist, Rachel Wilkinson, told Smithsonian Magazine that this discovery was “the largest and latest ever found in Britain.”

Ordinarily, archaeologists would use radiocarbon dating as a means of identifying the age of ancient relics. However, they couldn’t locate any suitable material from the haul. Consequently, they determined the age by examining writing on the coins, as well as the ruler carved into them, estimating that the treasure was probably buried in either 408 or 409 AD.

Roman-era archaeologist Peter Guest told Smithsonian Magazine that “if you look at them a little more carefully, then they should be dated to the period after the separation of Britain from the Roman Empire.” He offers as part of his evidence the fact that almost all of the coins found in the Hoxne Hoard were clipped – in other words, small chunks of their edges had been taken off. These clippings would have been used to create coins which were similar to the Roman coins of that era.

Guest has a logical reason for this, arguing that “The Roman Empire wasn’t supplying Britain with new gold and silver coins, and in light of that, the population tried to get over this sudden cutoff in the supply of their precious metals by making the existing supplies go further.”

Archaeologists also believe that the treasure belonged to a Romano-British family. During that time, considering that there was so much societal discord and upheaval, it was common for Romans who had settled in Britain to bury their most prized possessions.

That said, one archaeologist is of the belief that the hoard had a lot of sentimental value for the Romano-British family to whom it is believed to have belonged. In her book The Hoxne Late Roman Treasure: Gold Jewellery and Silver Plate, Catherine Johns claims that the manner in which the treasure was kept supported this claim. Some of the items which were recovered had been packaged in small, wooden boxes which were lined with leather. What’s more, pieces of wood, locks, and nails, among other things, surrounded the gold and silver pieces. This leads Catherine to assert that the package was carefully buried and not simply chucked away in a rush.

Interestingly enough, the items unearthed might shed some light on the identity of the family who owned them. They cite a gold bracelet bearing the inscription “UTERE FELIX DOMINA IULIANE,” which roughly translates to “use this happily Lady Juliane”. A second name “Aurelius Ursicinus” has also been discovered. This has consequently led some to believe that Juliane and Aurelius were the couple and the original owners of the treasure. That said, that has yet to be confirmed.

All in all, the discovery was a real treasure for archaeologists, and by extension, for Lawes. According to Smithsonian Magazine, in recognition of his discovery and willingness to contact authorities, the British government rewarded him with over £1.7 million, an amount which he shared with the farmer whose land was dug out in order to get the treasure. Funnily enough, apart from the treasure, Lawes also found his lost hammer — which now resides in the British Museum.