Sudan- Archaeological sites of the Island of Meroe

Meroe is not an island per se rather it is situated between the Atbara and the Nile. Its archaeological sites are situated on the eastern bank of the Nile river approximately 200km north-east of Khartoun. It was the capital city of the Kingdom of Kush, a dominant force from the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. The centre of the Kushite Kingdom moved upstream to Meroe from Nuri (part of Gebek Barkal) around 270 B.C. due to the deterioration of the climatic and environmental conditions of Nuri. It comprises the royal city of the Kushite Kings, religious site of Naqa and Musawwarat es Sufra. Amongst other antiquities featured in the area are pyramids, temples, domestic buildings and extensive installations connected to water channels. There are two assemblages of approximately a 100 pyramids that are reminiscent of an era of 1,200years from the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. The property is an illustration of the bartering between the art, architecture, religious and languages of both religions.

http://www.africanworldheritagesites.org
http://www.whc.unesco.org