"Evil eye" box and many treasures discovered in Nile cemetery
Archaeologists have discovered underground tombs containing a wealth of treasures, including a box of "evil eyes", at a 2,000-year-old cemetery near the Nile River in Sudan.
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| Underground tombs discovered at the Meroitic necropolis of Dangeil, Sudan. Photo: Lieve Science |
In the newly discovered underground tomb system, experts from the Abidiya archaeological project, conducted by the Sudanese National Antiquities and Museums Corporation (NCAM) in collaboration with the British Museum, found many valuable artifacts, such as a silver ring engraved with the image of a god and a porcelain box decorated with large eyes, believed to protect against the evil eye.
Local residents accidentally discovered the ancient Meroitic necropolis in 2002 while digging a ditch near the village of Dangeil, on the banks of the Nile. Archaeological excavations have been ongoing ever since.
The cemetery dates back to the time of the kingdom of Kush in Sudan. Based around the ancient city of Meroe, located south of the modern-day village of Dangeil, the kingdom of Kush controlled a vast territory, with its northern border stretching as far as Roman-controlled Egypt. At times, the kingdom was ruled by a queen.
Although the Kushites built hundreds of pyramids, the necropolis near the Nile contained no above-ground structures. All the tombs were underground.
The archaeologists also found numerous items in the tombs, including large jars used to store sorghum beer and bowls used to hold food.
Mahmoud Suliman Bashir, a member of the excavation team, admitted that until now, they still do not know the exact size of the cemetery.
In a new book, co-written with a British Museum expert on the excavation of the Meroitic necropolis at Dangeil, Sudan, Bashir adds: "The Kushite burial tradition shows a widespread belief in life after death. That is why goods and food were often buried with the corpses. These objects were needed by each individual in the afterlife."
According to vietnamnet
