Nuri is a place in modern Sudan on the south (east) side of the Nile. Close to it, there are pyramids belonging to Nubian kings. Nuri is situated about 15 km north of Sanam, and 10 km from Jebel Barkal. All these remains belonged to the ancient city Napata, the first capital of the Nubian kingdom of Kush.
The earliest pyramid (Nu. 1) at Nuri belongs to king Taharqa which measures 51.75 meters square by 40 or by 50 metres high. His successor Tantamani was buried in el-Kurru, but all following Nubian kings and many of their wives till Nastasen (Nu. 15) (about 330 BC) were buried here. The pyramids at Nuri are in general smaller than the Egyptian ones and are today often heavily destroyed, but they often still contained substantial parts of the funerary equipment of the Kushite rulers who were buried here. During the Christian era, a church was erected here. The church was built of many old stones, including several stelae originally coming from the pyramids.
The pyramids were systematically excavated by George Reisner.
The pyramids of Nuri together with other buildings in the region around Gebel Barkal have been placed on the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage sites since 2003.
See List of monarchs of Kush for more information.
The royal family of Kush was buried in the cemeteries of Nuri and el-Kurru.
The pyramids of Nuri are built on two separate plateaus. The highest point in the cemetery is taken up by Taharqa's pyramid on the western plateau. The pyramids of the other kings are located on the eastern plateau. The pyramids of the royal women are placed closer to Taharqa's pyramid on the western plateau. These pyramids fall into three groups: (1) A group of pyramids is located to the south and west of Taharqa's pyramid; (2) Two parallel rows are located to the north of Taharqa's pyramid; (3) A group of very small tombs is located to the far north.
The King's Mothers were buried in the southern group, but this is not an area exclusively used for the burial of King's Mothers. Most of the King's Wives were buried in the parallel rows just north of Taharqa's tomb. The tombs to the far north were much smaller and may have been built for wives of lesser rank.
Nuri 1 - King Taharqa
Nuri 2 - King Amaniastabarqa
Nuri 3 - King Senkamanisken
Nuri 4 - King Siaspiqa
Nuri 5 - King Malonaqen
Nuri 6 - King Anlamani, son of King Senkamanisken
Nuri 7 - King Karkamani
Nuri 8 - King Aspelta, son of King Senkamanisken and Queen Naparaye
Nuri 9 - King Aramatle-qo, son of Aspelta
Nuri 10 - King Amaninatakilebte
Nuri 11 - King Malewiebamani
Nuri 12 - King Amanineteyerike, son of King Malewiebamani
Nuri 13 - King Harsiotef
Nuri 14 - King Akhraten
Nuri 15 - King Nastasen
Nuri 16 - King Talakhamani
Nuri 17 - King Baskakeren, son of King Malewiebamani
Nuri 18 - King Analmaye
Nuri 19 - King Nasakhma
Nuri 20 - King Atlanersa Son of Taharqa
Nuri 21 - Possibly Takahatenamun, Queen. Wife of Taharqa
Nuri 22 - Possibly Amanimalel, Queen. Wife of King Senkamanisken
Nuri 23 - Masalaye, Queen? Probably wife of King Senkamanisken
Nuri 24 - Nasalsa Queen. Daughter of Atlanersa, wife of King Senkamanisken
Nuri 25 - Maletaral II, Queen?. Time of King Amaninatakilebte
Nuri 26 - Amanitakaye, Queen. Daughter of Aspelta, sister-wife of Aramatle-qo, mother of Malonaqen
Nuri 27 - Madiqen, Queen. Wife of Anlamani
Nuri 28 - Henuttakhebi[t], Queen. Wife of Aspelta
Nuri 29 - Pi'ankhqew-qa Queen? Possibly wife of King Siaspiqa
Nuri 31 - Saka'aye, Queen. Probably mother of King Malewiebamani
Nuri 32 - Akhrasan, Queen. Temp. King Malewiebamani
Nuri 34 - Henutirdis, Queen. From the time of King Harsiotef
Nuri 35 - Possibly Queen Abar, wife of Piye, Mother of Taharqa
Nuri 36 - Atakhebasken Queen. Wife of Taharqa
Nuri 38 - Akhe(qa?), Queen. Daughter of Aspelta and wife of Aramatle-qo
Nuri 39 - Maletasen, Queen. Wife of Aramatle-qo
Nuri 40 - Meqemale, Queen. Possibly wife of Aspelta
Nuri 41 - Maletaral(?) I, Queen. Wife of Atlanersa
Nuri 42 - Asata, Queen. Wife of Aspelta
Nuri 44 - Batahaliye, Queen. Wife of Harsiotef
Nuri 45 - Tagtal (?), Queen. Wife of King Malonaqen
Nuri 43 - Yeturow, Queen. Sister-Wife of Atlanersa
Nuri 55 - Atmataka, Queen. Wife of Aramatle-qo
Nuri 56 - Possibly Sekhmakh, Queen. Wife of Nastasen
Nuri 57 - Pi'ankh-her( ?), Queen. Wife of Aramatle-qo
Nuri 58 - Artaha, Queen. Wife of Aspelta
Nuri 59 - Malaqaye, Queen. Possibly a wife of King Tantamani
Nuri 61 - Atasamale, Queen. Possibly a wife of Amanineteyerike
Dows Dunham. The Royal Cemeteries of Kush II, Nuri, Boston (Mass.): Museum of Fine Arts, 1955.
