While very few are unfamiliar with Egypt's many pyramids, the pyramids of neighboring Sudan have been overlooked for centuries. And while it might seem that this is due to relatively unimpressive pyramid structures, it simply falls to the poor Sudanese tourism industry. In fact, Sudan boasts more than double the number of pyramids in Egypt, all in the northern half of the country, each featuring remarkable history and marvel. 

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Sudan is home to 255 pyramids, scattered across a number of compact clusters, including El Kurru, Gebel Barkal, and Meroë. The pyramids were built over hundreds of years by a civilization known as the Nubians, at that time under the rule of the Kush Kingdom. The Nubian pyramids date back to as early as 700 B.C., still much later than their Egyptian counterparts.

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Sudan, and the Nubians, had great ties to Ancient Egypt. Initially, the Nubians were conquered by the Egyptians between 1550-1070 B.C. After which, Nubia became its own empire, even conquering Egypt between 750-666 B.C. Through this, the Nubians became especially aligned with Ancient Egypt, sharing numerous ideals and beliefs. 

 

As such, Nubians developed concepts similar to those of the Egyptians, especially regarding the afterlife. This transition in ideology caused a boom in Sudan's pyramid-building, as royals of the Kush Kingdom were buried across the aforementioned clusters. Furthermore, some Egyptian practices, such as mummification, among others, were inherited in Sudanese burial practices.

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Nonetheless, some key differences separate Sudanese pyramids from Egyptian ones. Firstly, Sudan's pyramids are shorter and steeper than Egypt's pyramids. Secondly, the burial chambers in Sudanese pyramids were located under the ground, whereas those of Egyptian pyramids were located in the pyramid itself. Finally, many Sudanese pyramids have been truncated (meaning their top half was removed). The act started with treasure hunter Giuseppe Ferlini, who found gold under one of the many pyramids and truncated those surrounding to attempt to trick future rivals. Others followed suit, resulting in endless fields of pyramids without their points.