Khartoum - A 2,000-year-old cemetery found near the Nile in Sudan. Interestingly, some of the tombs there lies beneath the soil.
Archaeologists who excavated the tomb number was found a treasure trove, artifacts such as silver ring engraved with images of gods, also decorated ceramic box with a large eye shape - which, experts believe, as a protection against the 'evil eye'.
Villagers accidentally discovered the cemetery in 2002, while digging a ditch in the village Dangeil. Since then archaeologists continue excavation there.
The cemetery was derived from the time when the kingdom called Kush flourished in Sudan. Centered in the ancient city of Meroe, which are close to Dangeil, Kush wide area control. Its northern border stretched to Egypt which was then controlled by the Romans. In those Kush led by a queen.
Although Kush built hundreds of pyramids Nations, the underground cemetery that did not contain a structure on it.
"Until now we do not know the exact size of the cemetery," said Mahmoud Suliman Bashir, archaeologists from the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) Sudan to the science website LiveScience, quoted as saying on Wednesday (13/08/2014).
NCAM in collaboration with the British Museum for the cemetery excavated. The two institutions have recently published a book online titled Excavations in the Cemetery of Dangeil Meroitic, Sudan - to reveal secararinci what they find there.
"The tradition of funeral Kush describe beliefs about life after death spread there. Was why the objects and the food included with the bodies," writes Bashir and his colleagues from the British Museum, Julie Anderson in their book. "The items were believed to be needed late in the life after death."
Treasure
Archaeologists who excavated the tomb number was found a treasure trove, artifacts such as silver ring engraved with images of gods, also decorated ceramic box with a large eye shape - which, experts believe, as a protection against the 'evil eye'.
Villagers accidentally discovered the cemetery in 2002, while digging a ditch in the village Dangeil. Since then archaeologists continue excavation there.
The cemetery was derived from the time when the kingdom called Kush flourished in Sudan. Centered in the ancient city of Meroe, which are close to Dangeil, Kush wide area control. Its northern border stretched to Egypt which was then controlled by the Romans. In those Kush led by a queen.
Although Kush built hundreds of pyramids Nations, the underground cemetery that did not contain a structure on it.
"Until now we do not know the exact size of the cemetery," said Mahmoud Suliman Bashir, archaeologists from the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) Sudan to the science website LiveScience, quoted as saying on Wednesday (13/08/2014).
NCAM in collaboration with the British Museum for the cemetery excavated. The two institutions have recently published a book online titled Excavations in the Cemetery of Dangeil Meroitic, Sudan - to reveal secararinci what they find there.
"The tradition of funeral Kush describe beliefs about life after death spread there. Was why the objects and the food included with the bodies," writes Bashir and his colleagues from the British Museum, Julie Anderson in their book. "The items were believed to be needed late in the life after death."
Treasure
The team also found a number of objects that are intended to be a provision in the hereafter. Includes a large bottle of beer that was once made from sorghum.
In one of the tombs, they found a silver ring engraved image horned god. The object is restored and cleaned in the British Museum. Experts believe, so the jewelry depicting the god Amun - which in the Kingdom of Kush - often depicted with a head that looks like a ram. A temple for the worship of Amun from the same period have also been found in the cemetery Dangeil.
Also found a treasure box decorated with ceramic eyes, which by the Ancient Egyptians called Kush and "udjat". "Some sort of ritual rules to protect yourself from the 'devil eyes'," said Bashir
At the funeral, the archaeologists also found the 'tray party' is interesting, which is composed of 7 dishes are laid out together - where 6 bowls surrounding the existing one in the middle. "It's very unique, we've never found anything like it anywhere," said Bashir. "It could be used for food, 7 types in one place."
One tomb contains the body of a bow and a man who uses a stone ring on his thumb. "The ring on the thumb is known as an object that is associated with archery, which is used to draw the bowstring back."
In Kush, archery has an important role in the society. The king and queen even wear a ring on the thumb. God of war the nation Kush, Apedemak, who headed lion is also engraved on the bow were found.
Dangeil, the site location of the Kingdom of Kush located in 'cataract' fifth of the Nile. There excavations conducted by Berber-Abidiya Archaeological Project, a collaboration between NCAM and the British Museum.
