Musawwarat es-Sufra – Lion Temple Complex
Musawwarat es-Sufra · Al-Musawwarat · Musawarat
Kushite (3rd c BCE – 4th c CE; Lion Temple c. 300 BCE)·Kushite (Meroitic, King Arnekhamani)·🇸🇩 River Nile State, 40 km south of Meroë, Wadi el-Hawad steppe, Sudan
Wikipedia contributors · CC (see file page)
About
About Musawwarat es-Sufra – Lion Temple Complex
Vast Kushite labyrinth (180×150 m Great Enclosure with 55 columns) and Lion Temple of Apedemak with vivid reliefs of king and lion-god, possibly elephant training ground; Hintze excavations, beside Wadi Hawad reservoirs.
Why it mattersKey Kushite (3rd c BCE – 4th c CE; Lion Temple c. 300 BCE) site illustrating Kushite (Meroitic, King Arnekhamani) urbanism and kushite desert pilgrimage centre and elephant training enclosure (?) for meroiti.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Great Enclosure function — enclosure vs palace vs elephant ground
Theories
- 01Apedemak lion cult desert pilgrimage
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Great Enclosure c. 300 BCE under Arnekhamani; Lion Temple c. 290 BCE
- Period
- Kushite (3rd c BCE – 4th c CE; Lion Temple c. 300 BCE)
- Culture
- Kushite (Meroitic, King Arnekhamani)
- Purpose
- Kushite desert pilgrimage centre and elephant training enclosure (?) for Meroitic kingship and Apedemak lion god
- Excavation
- Excavated
Great Enclosure c. 300 BCE under Arnekhamani; Lion Temple c. 290 BCE
Initial construction / foundation
20th century
Modern archaeological survey and excavation
On the ground
Structures & features
16.4200° N · 33.3300° E · 410 m · 3 mapped features
- Musawwarat es-Sufra — Main TempletemplePrimary temple podium at Musawwarat es-Sufra – Lion Temple Complex16.4200° N · 33.3300° E
- Musawwarat es-Sufra — Altar/CourtaltarAltar and court at Musawwarat es-Sufra – Lion Temple Complex16.4205° N · 33.3305° E
- Musawwarat es-Sufra — Store GalleriesgalleryStore galleries at Musawwarat es-Sufra – Lion Temple Complex16.4195° N · 33.3295° E
Gallery