Amanishakheto, Warrior Queen of Nubia—6 Fascinating Facts You May Not Know

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She Was a Pyramid Builder 

During her reign, Amanishaketo is believed to have overseen the building of many of the pyramids of the Wad ban Naqa site that served as the seat of the Kushite/Nubian Kingdom. Remains of her palace still exist in this site as well. Her palace was adorned with gold, tall pillars, hieroglyphs, and had about 40 rooms. There are an estimated 12 pyramids on the site. In recent decades, the site has become a new place of exploration for western archaeologists.

 

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Her Pyramid Was Pillaged and Destroyed by Europeans

In 1834, Italian treasure hunter Giuseppe Ferlini came upon Meroë in search of rare riches. In his time as a treasure hunter, he destroyed an estimated 40 pyramids and thousands of years of valuable African history. Unfortunately, he destroyed the top of pyramid N6 that served as the tomb of Amanishaketo. What makes the situation even more awful, is that the pyramid was perfectly intact before it was tampered with. The treasures he found are now located in various museums, including the Egyptian Museum of Berlin.

 

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