There are probably more pyramids in Sudan than can be found in all of Egypt. Yet the wonders of ancient Egypt are known worldwide, while those of its southern neighbour stand forgotten on the banks of the Nile. The chequered political history of Sudan, combined with the country's rugged terrain and lack of modern conveniences, has kept tourists away from some of the most romantic archaeological sites in the world, among them several whole fields of pyramids.

The oldest Sudanese pyramids, dating back to the eighth century BC, stand near the modern city of Karima, downriver from the Fourth Cataract of the Nile. They were built for the kings of Kush, as the land was known in antiquity, who — after conquering Egypt around 730 BC — adopted the old pharaonic tradition of erecting monumental tombs for themselves and members of their families. These pyramids were smaller than the Egyptian ones, and were located near the Kushite capital city of Napata, which once existed in the neighbourhood of Karima.

These Napatan conquerors of Egypt, despite their adherence to Egyptian customs and religious beliefs, preferred to be buried not in the land they won but near their home town; after their eventual expulsion from Egypt by the Assyrians, around 660 BC, they really had no other choice, and the burials continued...

Sudan: The Land of Pyramids, Krzysztof Grzymski, Kenya London News, UK, January 31, 2007.

No contest: The Pyramids of Giza are one of the great wonders of the world. That’s the view of both Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni and Supreme Council of Antiquities head Zahi Hawass, who have rejected the notion of the New7Wonders Foundation's voting campaign to determine the “New Seven Wonders of the World.”

The Giza monuments are one of 21 finalists announced in June 2006; the seven with the most votes will be crowned the wonders later this year. In a media blitz, the foundation exhorts, “People of Egypt, it is now your turn to make a difference! Support the Pyramids, the only remaining Ancient Wonder, to become one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.”

The campaign is billed by organizers as “a cultural initiative to recognize, preserve and promote our common global cultural heritage.”

Hosni was unimpressed...

Pyramid Scheme, Manal el-Jesri and Kate Durham, Egypt Today, Egypt, Volume 28, Issue 02, February 2007.

PERHAPS the largest crowd ever to visit the village of Gurna on Luxor's West Bank assembled early last December to watch an over-elaborate ceremony taking place on a hill opposite the village. Local officials brought in two busloads of journalists to witness the proceedings, which began with groups of school children in Pharaonic dress performing to the beat of drums. Once the children were done, visiting mayors, governors and council heads gave speech after speech to the attentive television cameras.

The occasion: The ceremonial destruction of the village of Gurna in what officials promised would be the next-to-last step toward the relocation of its residents to a new, government-built settlement.

While most of the assembled dignitaries made mention of the need to improve the lives of Gurna residents, all focused on the long-awaited razing of Gurna village, the second such attempt in the last decade and part of a bid to conserve antiquities beneath local houses. Between the dignitaries and the village was a row of brightly painted construction vehicles. Across the road in Gurna itself, a different group was on a different hill: These were the villagers themselves, separated from the dignitaries by rows of police...

It’s Settled, Then, Cache Seel, Egypt Today, Egypt, Volume 28, Issue 02, February 2007.

About 30,000 Tut enthusiasts visited the ["Tutankhamun: Wonderful Things from the Pharaoh's Tomb"] exhibit, said Garland Courts, centre manager. The exhibit, which featured more than 100 replicated artefacts from the famous Boy King's tomb, opened Oct. 13 and closed Wednesday.

"I guess a lot of people waited until the last minute. Saturday was our biggest day. We had over 3,000 visitors. Were very happy. We've had a great response," Courts said.

And there's another piece of good news: "We don't have all the figures yet, but it looks like we'll be in the black. We'll make a slight profit," Courts said...

30,000 saw ancient Egypt in Cruces, S. Derrickson Moore, Las Cruces Sun-News, New Mexico, USA, February 02, 2007.

Zahi Hawass, a larger-than-life character who stands at the helm of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), has authored and co-authored several hefty publications on various aspects of ancient Egypt. Mountains of the Pharaohs is different — not only because it is a conventionally sized book, a mere 24 x 16cms and only half a kilogramme in weight — but also because it is written in narrative form and geared to the general public.

Hawass has used a literary device to grasp the attention of an unprofessional audience. He has begun each chapter with an engaging imaginary scene written in italics...

This is an important book. Hawass reveals that the Pyramid projects were important unifying forces for the country as a whole. He shows that the workshops attached to them were in fact schools to teach arts and crafts, and that the workmen came from all over the country to participate in Pyramid building, bringing with them local customs and picking up the habits and styles of the capital and thus creating "a national culture". He points out that the vast royal estates were tools for redistribution in a land where the population was dependent on agriculture and animal husbandry, and that all those involved in the Pyramids or royal cults rites were paid from the products of these estates — the men and women of the court were rewarded for their loyalty and excellent service from these public treasuries.

What led to the collapse of one of the most powerful royal houses in the history of the world? Hawass covers this too, in his Conclusion. No more convincing theory has yet been presented.

, Zahi Hawass, Doubleday Books, 2006, pp. 213.

The Pyramids revealed, Jill Kamill, Al-Ahram, Egypt, Issue No. 830, February 01 - 07, 2007.

On the eve of our One Year Anniversary on the discovery of KV-63 I would like to take this opportunity to bring everyone up to date on recent events and our plans for 2007.

After directing the daily operations of KV-63 for seven continuous months in 2006 (without one sick day) I suffered a heart attack in late November, which laid me up in the hospital for a few weeks. I am well, now, but as a result, it has taken time for me to regain my strength and catch up on necessary administrative paperwork concerning our impending KV-63 season.

Along with my heart attack, a variety of others factors have led to our decision to delay our 2007 season until thus summer. The very long season of 2005-2006 made it practical to shift our normal schedule back a month or so. In addition, both myself and Earl Ertman plan to lecture at the 2007 American Research Centre in Egypt (ARCE) Annual meeting in Toledo, Ohio in April 20-22.

Currently, the SCA proposal, all reports and necessary paperwork have been completed. We anticipate starting our season in early May and running through August. The late start for 2007 means we will have to work during the hot months, but to our advantage, the bulk of the tasks awaiting us can be carried out inside the relatively cool back rooms of the tomb of Amenmesse (KV-10).

The coming season will emphasize restorations and conservation work, plus the examination of the remaining unopened storage jars. Several more seasons will ultimately be needed due to the variety and quantity of the materials from the tomb chamber.

Be sure to watch for the most recent "KV63 Update" in the Spring 2007 issue of KMT magazine!

Otto Schaden

Otto's Dig Diary, Dr. Otto Schaden, Amenmesse Project, University of Memphis, Tennessee, February 05, 2007.