Zuma, Sudan

Zuma is a village and then called burial ground in the vicinity of Mount Barkal (25 km downstream) in present-day Sudan. The village is located about 10 km south of al - Kurru on the right side of the Nile.

The cemetery was visited in the last two hundred years, several times, but there was only brief descriptions and no excavations. The expedition of Richard Lepsius recorded eg a plan.

Modern excavations

Modern, systematic Polish- Sudanese excavations began in December 2004. On the surface are still 29 grave hill to see. So far, three grave sites have been excavated. There were three grave types, especially with reference to the grave mound, can be distinguished. Type I consists of hills, which are completely covered with stones. The grave mound with a diameter 25-53 m and were once 6 to 13.5 m high. The hills of type II have a diameter of 21 up to 31 m. They are built of sand and loose stones. A stone ring that goes around the hill, holding it together. The underground burial shaft (viewed from above) M- shaped and has two chambers, one for the funeral and the other for the grave goods. The hills of type III are flat and less than 1 m high. They have a diameter 9-20 m, and only one grave chamber.

All grave chambers were robbed in their discovery and only contained numerous ceramics, beads, metal fragments and animal bones. Especially the ceramic dated the graves at the end of the fifth and the first half of the 6th century.

The cemetery at Zuma received in 2003 along with other places in the surroundings of the UNESCO World Heritage status.