MEROE, SUDAN – The Al-Bajrawiya Pyramids, an archaeological site dating from the Kingdom of Kush between the eighth century B.C.E. and the fourth century C.E. and now on the UNESCO World Heritage list, faces the risk of destruction due to the current civil war in Sudan, which has halted all preservation efforts.
There are more than 200 pyramids and tombs in the Al-Bajrawiya Pyramids area. Since the beginning of the war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, the preservation effort has been put to a stop due to a lack of funding.
The pictures show desert dunes advancing toward the site, burying ancient sandstone buildings and putting the wall writings at risk.
“This war has greatly affected us,” Mubarak commented, pointing out that foreign expeditions, excavations, and routine administrative operations have all come to a standstill. He also pointed out the danger posed by unsupervised visitors, vandalism, and climbing on the structures.
Although tourism reached its peak during the revolution in Sudan in 2019 and continued into early 2023, tourists have practically disappeared, putting the historic place at risk during the war period. The loss caused by the war goes beyond the huge displacement of 12 million people and millions suffering from hunger; this war has now endangered an unparalleled part of global human history.
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