Jebel Barkal Pyramid Bar.2 (King Amaninatakilebte)
Napatan, c.538–519 BCE·Kushite Napatan·🇸🇩 Northern State, Jebel Barkal North Cemetery, Sudan
About
About Jebel Barkal Pyramid Bar.2 (King Amaninatakilebte)
Pyramid Bar.2 at Jebel Barkal north cemetery for King Amaninatakilebte (c.538–519 BCE, Napatan 27th Dynasty contemporaneous with Persian Egypt). 11 m base, steep sandstone pyramid with well-preserved east chapel with incised relief of Isis and king. Reisner-Dunham excavated 1916, burial intact with gold pectoral.
Why it mattersNapatan barkal sequence linking Nuri to Meröe.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Barkal vs Nuri royal cemetery choice
Theories
- 01Jebel Barkal as Kushite Karnak — pyramid at holy mountain
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.530 BCE
- Period
- Napatan, c.538–519 BCE
- Culture
- Kushite Napatan
- Builders
- Kushite
- Purpose
- Royal tomb — Amaninatakilebte
- Excavation
- Excavated
c.530 BCE
Initial construction / foundation
c.500 CE
Major refurbishment / enlargement phase
c.1100 CE
Abandonment or conversion
1890–1930
Modern rediscovery and first scientific survey
On the ground
Structures & features
18.5366° N · 31.8242° E · 260 m · 2 mapped features
East chapel — Isis relief
chapelChapel east wall with Isis winged relief and cartouche of Amaninatakilebte
18.5367° N · 31.8241° EBarrel-vaulted burial chamber
chamberVaulted chamber with burial bench and stair descent
18.5365° N · 31.8243° E