ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Research → Discoveries

35 ancient pyramids discovered in Sudan

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
February 7, 2013
in Discoveries, Science
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit
Ancient pyramids excavated in Sudan. Photo copyright Vincent Francigny/SEDAU
Ancient pyramids excavated in Sudan. Photo copyright Vincent Francigny/SEDAU

It’s remarkable what astonishing finds archaeologists today still manage to discover. A few years ago, no less than 17 new pyramids were discovered in Egypt. Recently, in neighboring Sudan a most impressive site filled with densely packed pyramids was unearthed, proving once again that there are still many hidden relics left in the world.

The find was made during a field excavation between 2009 and 2012  at Sedeinga, a site in Sudan. Initially some 13 pyramids were found, and today the count has raised to 35, but what’s really astonishing about them is their close density. For instance the initial 13 pyramids were unearthed in an area no larger than a NBA basketball court.

Concerning their dating, the pyramids are believed to be 2,000 years old and were built by the Kush people at a time when the kingdom used to flourish, sharing borders with Egypt and later with the Roman Empire. Most likely, inspiration was drawn from Egypt, despite the pyramids are far from being as imposing as those found in the Valley of the Kings.

“The density of the pyramids is huge,” researcher Vincent Francigny, a research associate with the American Museum of Natural History in New York, told LiveScience.com. “Because it lasted for hundreds of years, they built more, more, more pyramids and after centuries, they started to fill all the spaces that were still available in the necropolis.”

Indeed, the density of the pyramids is rather startling and one can only wonder how rich the site used to be in pyramids during its heyday. Despite the pyramids might not look like much in the photo caption from above, since erosion and a busy camel route damaged the monuments, the Sedeinga site is a fantastic find, no less. Francigny and team leader Claude Rilly also noticed that several Sedeinga pyramids were connected with an inner cupola, or circular structure – a feature unique to the site, never before encountered in other pyramid structures in the world. So despite the Kush people were heavily influenced culturally and religiously by Egypt, they still maintained an unique ritual and architecture.

[READ] How pyramids were built

Sudan Meroe Pyramids, in 2001. More recently, researchers found 35 other pyramids (not pictured)at Sedeinga, a site in Sudan
Sudan Meroe Pyramids, in 2001. More recently, researchers found 35 other pyramids (not pictured)at Sedeinga, a site in Sudan

The largest pyramids found are about 33 feet wide at the base, and the smallest, likely for children, was only 30 inches long.  One such child burial place intrigued the researchers at the archaeological site more than usual.

“What we found this year is very intriguing,” Francigny told LiveScience.com. “A grave of a child and it was covered by only a kind of circle, almost complete, of brick.” He said this indicates that pyramid-building in Sedeinga may have been combined with a local circle-building tradition called tumulus construction, LiveScience.com reported.

Despite the Sedeinga site was just recently discovered, it did not remained undisturbed for all these years. Most of the unearthed graves had been looted, still archaeologists managed to discover some artifacts. One of these was a striking offering table depicting the goddess Isis and the jackal-headed god Anubis, which also bears enscription written in he Meriotic language.

RelatedPosts

This 5,500-year-old Kish tablet is the oldest written document
Brain dead: 2500 year old perfectly preserved British brain found
Where are all the mummies? 2 out of 3 animal mummies don’t have an animal inside
Researchers reconstruct the ‘lost plains’ of now-submerged Doggerland

Oh Isis! Oh Osiris!

It is Aba-la.

Make her drink plentiful water;

Make her eat plentiful bread;

Make her be served a good meal.

Tags: archaeologyEgyptpyramidSudan

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

Anthropology

Obsidian Artifacts Reveal a Hidden, Thriving Economy in the Aztec Empire

byMihai Andrei
1 week ago
Anthropology

Neanderthals Crafted Bone Spears 30,000 Years Before Modern Humans Came In

byTudor Tarita
2 weeks ago
Anthropology

16,000-Year-Old Dog-Like Skeleton Found in France Raises Haunting Questions

byTudor Tarita
4 weeks ago
Archaeology

Cats Came Bearing Gods: Religion and Trade Shaped the Rise of the Domestic Cat in Europe

byMihai Andrei
4 weeks ago

Recent news

This Startup Is Using Ancient DNA to Recreate Perfumes from Extinct Flowers

May 21, 2025

Jupiter Was Twice Its Size and Had a Magnetic Field 50 Times Stronger After the Solar System Formed

May 21, 2025

How One Man and a Legendary Canoe Rescued the Dying Art of Polynesian Navigation

May 21, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.