Read < 1 minute

In Sudan, a nation riddled with war and poverty, lies a hidden archaeological treasure. The country has more pyramids than even its most famous neighbor, Egypt.

The steep, small pyramids rise over the desert hills, a stunning reminder of the ancient Nubian kingdom that once ruled Egypt.

Some 200 kilometers north of Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, the pyramids at Meroe are deserted despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The site is known as the Island of Meroe because an ancient, long-dried river once ran around it.  It had served as the principle residence of the rulers of the Kush kingdom, known as the Black Pharaohs.

The pyramids, range from 20-feet to 100-feet tall. They are 4,600 years old, smaller and steeper than Egyptian pyramids.