The Kingdom of Kerma (2500 - 1500 BC)

The kings of the land of Kush

       In the south, where the territories of the land of Yam lay - the destination of Harkhuf's expeditions - in the mid-3 rd millennium there developed a confederation of tribal groups under one ruler. Probably the Fourth Cataract marked the southern boundary of this first kingdom, Kush in Egyptian sources, while in the north the sway of the kings of Kerma included lands beyond the reach of Egyptian frontier fortresses.

The first capital
       The main administrative and religious centre of the country, Kerma, was already a city in the full sense of the word. The remains of the palace buildings decorated in the Egyptian style indicate that the city was the seat of the ruling family as well. The characteristic elements of Kerma's landscape are huge brick cult buildings - deffufas - (a Nubian term denoting massive brick constructions with small corridors inside). A full reconstruction of the oldest Sudanese city is very difficult, since ca 1500 BC it was taken and totally destroyed by the Egyptian army.
       Near Kerma immense burial grounds with stone-covered barrows have been localized. The biggest contained burials of rulers whose last way was accompanied by tens of ritually murdered slaves. The Kermans covered their dead with animal skins; close to the graves whole animals or their skulls were often buried as well. The Kerman grave pottery of the time had reached the peak of artistic development.