The Forgotten Pyramids of Kush: Nubia's Black Kingdom
Egypt isn't the only land of pyramids. South in ancient Nubia, the Black kingdom of Kush built more pyramids than Egypt ever did, and their story is finally being told.
Ask anyone to picture a pyramid and they think of Giza. But the greatest pyramid-building people, by sheer number, were not the Egyptians at all. They were the Nubians of the Kingdom of Kush, and their story is one every heritage traveler should know.
More pyramids than Egypt
The Kushite kings and their Kandake queens built hundreds of steep, elegant pyramids across ancient Nubia, in what is now Sudan, at royal cities like Meroe. There are more pyramids in that land than in all of Egypt. For centuries the world overlooked them; today they are recognised as one of Africa's great achievements.
A powerful Black African kingdom
Kush was no imitation of Egypt. It was a wealthy, powerful Black African civilization that traded gold and iron, worshipped its own gods alongside shared ones, and at its height, in the 25th Dynasty, conquered and ruled Egypt itself. Its rulers are the Black pharaohs. Read about the Black pharaohs of Kush.
Seeing Nubia today
You can stand in the heart of the ancient Nubian world in southern Egypt, at Abu Simbel, in Aswan, and among the living Nubian villages of the Nile. It is the closest most travelers come to the Kushite story, and it is unforgettable.
Trace the Nubian story on a heritage journey.
See our Nubia & Kemet tourFrequently Asked Questions
Did Nubia have more pyramids than Egypt?
Yes. The Kushite kings and queens of ancient Nubia built hundreds of pyramids, more than exist in all of Egypt, at royal cities like Meroe in what is now Sudan.
Can I see Nubian heritage in Egypt?
Yes. Southern Egypt, especially Abu Simbel, Aswan and the living Nubian villages, sits at the heart of the ancient Nubian world and is the closest most travelers get to the Kushite story.