Entering the tomb is a bit of a problem as you have to sit at the door entrance and reach your feet down to reach the top step- not easy if you are short like me. Then you climb down the 34 stone steps. You then come to the tomb itself. there is an inner and outer chamber, both decorated with scenes and hieroglyphics describing the life of the King. All the usual symbols from the Egyptian religion are there- the sun, the scarab, the solar barque, gods and goddesses as well as the king himself in different costumes. The paintings are not as colourful as those found in Egypt, depending rather on the colours available- red ochre, yellow ochre and black.
Certain colours did not withstand the passage of time, which is why parts which should be black or blue have today disappeared. This is especially noticeable with wigs, which originally were deep blue in colour, but today white. The black of the eyes is also badly preserved.
There are welcoming scenes in the antechamber, and funerary scenes in the burial chamber.
The complexion of the silhouettes obeys the strict classic Egyptian pattern with the skin of the men being dark red, and that of the women yellow.
Updated Jul 12, 2010
The Sudanese rulers of the Egyptian 25th Dynasty brought the culture that they had found in Thebes and adapted it to their homeland. Thus the Kushite pyramids and tombs were the first of the type found in Sudan. Non-royal tombs at the site were simpler than those of the royal occupants :King Kashta, Piye, Shabaka, Shabataka, Tanwetamani and 14 queens
Written Mar 3, 2008
When the British left El-Kuru in about 1913, having plundered the site, they left the entrances to the tombs exposed. Although the northern state is dry, there can be flash floods coming down the dry wadis. Inside Tanwetamani's tomb the bottom section of the wall has been damaged by water.
Now the tomb is covered by a long mud-brick structure with a beautiful ceiling inside. It is interesting for its own sake
Written Mar 3, 2008
Address: El-Kuru
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When the British left El-Kuru in about 1913, having plundered the site, they left the entrances to the tombs exposed. Although the northern state is dry, there...
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El-Kuru is another of the World Heritage sites that comes under Jebel Barkal. It is not as easy to find as is not visible from the road, and anyway there is nothing obvious to see except what looks......
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