Sudan's ongoing conflict is jeopardizing the ancient Meroe pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its distinctive architecture. Preservation efforts have ceased entirely, leaving the more than 200 pyramids, which served as royal tombs for the Kingdom of Kush between 800 B.C. and 350 A.D., vulnerable to further deterioration.
Archaeologist Mahmoud Suleiman warned that the site faces potential disaster and collapses. Guards at Meroe, located approximately 125 miles north of Khartoum, report that sand has accumulated heavily on and inside the pyramids, with thick grass also growing on the structures. Stones have begun to fall, indicating significant deterioration.
Antiquities inspector Mohamed Mubarak noted that salt, released from the accumulated sand, is collecting within the funerary temples. This salt is degrading the stones, described as "inherently fragile," and poses a risk of eroding ancient inscriptions.
The combination of climate change, the displacement of the workforce due to war, and security instability that hinders foreign missions has contributed to the site's significant decline, according to Suleiman. The conflict, which began in April 2023, has already damaged numerous historical sites and museums across Sudan. UNESCO has previously reported that over 100 cultural sites have been damaged, and at least 22 museums have been looted or destroyed since the war's inception.