Eastern Deffufa, Ancient brick structure at Kerma, Sudan.
The Eastern Deffufa stands as a large mud-brick building within a cemetery complex containing over 30,000 graves in the archaeological site of Kerma.
Constructed during the Kingdom of Kerma between 2500 and 1500 BCE, this structure served as a royal burial ground until Egyptian conquest around 1450 BCE.
Archaeological excavations revealed thousands of cattle skulls near the tombs, demonstrating the central role of cattle in ancient Nubian society and funeral practices.
Visitors can access the site without entrance fees or restrictions, and the nearby Kerma Museum displays artifacts including seven granite statues from the excavations.
The Eastern Deffufa represents one of only three remaining deffufa structures in the world, all located at the former Nubian Kingdom of Kerma.
Location: Northern State
GPS coordinates: 19.61010,30.44730
Latest update: March 3, 2025 14:59
Sudan offers photographers a substantial mix of ancient monuments, desert formations and river landscapes. The country contains more than 200 pyramids at Meroe, Nuri and El-Kurru that differ markedly from their Egyptian counterparts. These Nubian structures rise from the desert with few visitors present, allowing unobstructed shooting. The National Museum of Sudan in Khartoum and the museums at Kerma and Karima display artifacts from the kingdoms of Kush and Meroe. Archaeological sites including Jebel Barkal, Soleb Temple, Naqa and Al-Musawwarat es-Sufra document the region's historical position as a crossroads of African and Mediterranean cultures. The confluence of the Blue and White Nile in Khartoum creates a distinct dividing line between differently colored waters. Tuti Island and Sabaloka Gorge provide perspectives on the river environment. The Nubian Desert, Bayuda Desert with its volcanic cones and the Kassala Mountains present different desert settings. At the Red Sea port of Suakin, 19th-century coral stone buildings slowly deteriorate, while Sanganeb National Park gives access to coral reefs. The markets of Omdurman and Kassala, along with the Sufi shrine at Sheikh Hamad-al Nil, record contemporary Sudanese life. These locations provide substantial photographic opportunities in a country that receives considerably fewer tourists than its neighbors.
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