"A World Heritage Site" a Barkal Travel Page by uglyscot

Jebel Barkal is a table-topped mountain with an unusual pinnacle standing in a flat plain. It lies in the wide bend of the river Nile near the towns of Karima and Merowe It is made of sandstone and stands about 98 m high. It was a spititual centre of Ancient Egyptians and the Meroitic kingdom for about a thousand years.
The Ancient Egyptians believed it to be the main residence for the God Amun, who decided who should be ruler, advised on matters of state, like whether to make war or peace.
On this site were 13 temples and two palaces according to some archaeologists. These include the Great Temple of Amun and the Royal cemetery. Both Ramses the Second and Tuthmosis III made Jebel Barkal the southernmost limit to their kingdom.
Although both kingdoms worshipped Amun , each portrayed him in a different way: to the Egyptians he was a man with a tall feathered crown, or mummiform with erect phallus, but at Barkal he is a man with a ram's head.

The temple of Mut has the figure of Taharqa, a Nubian ruler of Egypt and two standing pillars in the shape of a sistrum, with a woman's face and cow's ears.

As well as Jebel Barkal and its pyramids, the World Heritage locations under the Barkal site include Nuri and El-Kurru, both within reasonable distance, especially now that there is a good network of tarmac roads.
the site at Nuri is visible from the road. Once there, it is difficult to get close to some of the pyramids as the sand dunes are steep. We were taken by a guide behind the pyramids where there is a hollow surrounded by stones from whence the mummy was taken.
At Nuri there were once about 80 pyramids, but only 20 are now standing.The tombs themselves were under ground and then topped with pyramidal structures. 52 queens and princes, and 21 kings were buried here, including Taharqa, whose pyramid was the oldest and biggest. The pyramids, now very much broken down, seem to have been built on a pink sandstone base, now covered by sand. [see Nuri page]
In recent years a mummy was stolen from the site, but the thief was apprehended, by the security.

I now have a separate Nuri page.

To get to El-Kurru was more difficult than the other sites. Find the village of El -Kurru and head inside until you reach an enclosed area. In the centre is a heap of collapsed material that was once a fair sized pyramid. Little is really recognisable without guidance. The only man we found who had the key to a locked tomb was knowledgeable about it though.The tomb has been covered to prevent it from rain or flood damage by an elongated mud-brick cover. A second tomb, belonging to Tanwetamani's mother Qaltasha , is not covered but also has equally good wall paintings . It was deemed too dirty for me to enter.. Husband suspects it is being used as a public toilet. However the tomb of Tanwetamani, the nephew and successor of King Taharqa, can be entered, although with some difficulty. {see El-Kuru page}