History

Napatan Meroitic Periods: Definitions

In this period, Kush reached its peak in territorial expansion to the north, conquering the whole of Egypt and further north as far as Palestine. The Napatan period is studied examining the burials at el-Kurru, which date as early as 900 BC. The first known by name Napatan king was king Alara (785-60 BC),¹ who also owned inscriptions in of Amun Temple at Kawa. After his reign, Napata became the royal capital of Kush. During his reign, Jebel Barkal, near Napata, came to be the most sacred site in Kush (although Jebel Barkal has already had a significant religious importance before this specified period).

Due to lack of material evidence and sufficient fieldwork, the political nature of the Kush kingdom is not well understood. Nevertheless; simple conclusions may be helpful in linking sparse pieces of knowledge.

 The Meroitic period is named so, since the royal capital was moved from Napata to Meroe. The beginning of this period (about 270 BC) conforming with the start of pharaoh Arkamani-qo reign, who was the first to build his Pyramid at Meroe. During the Meroitic period Nubia experienced artistic and architectural revival. New writing replaced the older Kushite writing. This period in considered to end with the last known Meroitic pharaoh Teqerideamani II, who reigned around 400 CE.

• ^{1 For a timeline of the Nubian pharoahs inlcuding those mentioned above (i.e. Alara, Arkamani-qo, and Teqerideamani II) see: S. Wenig, Africa in Antiquity: the Catalogue (New York, 1978).}