The city of Meroë was built on the east bank of the River Nile, north of Khartoum. The city has gained repute as from the middle of the sixth century BC until around 350AD it was the capital of the Cushite Dynasty.
The city was also famed for its knowledge and use of iron smelting, and is now visited by archaeologists eager to examine the ruins of royal palaces and dozens of pyramids which were built during the city's height.
Egyptian Gods in Meroë
The beliefs of the people of Meroë in Africa clearly have their beginnings in the Egyptian religion, with shared gods and architectural designs present at the site.
The similarities between the two religions included shared gods, such as Isis, Amun – who was revered on a level equal standing to that of the indigenous gods and kings – and Horus, as well as Bas, the household god. The presence of Bas suggests that these beliefs were spread throughout the Meroitic society, with the whole community following the ‘official’ state religion.
The foremost of the indigenous gods worshipped by the Meroites was Apedemak, the lion god, who appears on many engravings across the city. There were many temples across the city dedicated to the Egyptian and the Meroitic gods.
The Start of the Meroitic Religion
The beginnings of the Meroitic religion can be traced back to the eighth century BC when the Naptalan Nubian kings entered Egypt as pharaohs took inspiration from the pyramids and temples there, and decided to bring that religious belief back to their own land to support their status as kings.
As well as the gods that were introduced, the rulers of Meroë also brought back the idea of pyramids as burial memorials. Some sources state there were more than 200 pyramids at Meroë, and there are at least 40 known rulers buried there, indicating that there were religious beliefs connected with death.
Difficulties in Learning More
Because of the unusual language of the Meroites we still do not know very much about the Meroitic religion. However, if it followed its Egyptian influences closely, we can infer that religion would have played a key part in the political life of the city, as the king would have been revered as god personified. This would also explain why there were so many large pyramids in Meroë, as the people would have been willing to work for their god and king to provide a fitting monument.
Sources
- Ashcroft, A. (n.d.) The Ancient Egyptians, (accessed October 22, 2009)
- Connah, G. (2009) ‘Holocene Africa’ in C. Scarre (ed.) (2009) The Human Past, London, Thames and Hudson, pp.350-391
- Stofferan, S. and Wood, S. (n.d.) Ancient Africa, (accessed October 22, 2009)
- Van der Plas, D. (ed) (2006) The Global Egyptian Museum, (accessed October 22, 2009)
Pam Griffin - Pam Griffin is a journalist working in Shropshire, UK. She is interested in first aid, singing and playing music, history, and ...
