[T]here are more pyramids in one small section of the northern Sudanese desert than there are in the whole of Egypt.

During Egypt’s 25th dynasty (760 BC until 656 BC), Meroe, now located in Sudan, was the capital of the Kingdom of Kush, ruled by Nubian kings who had conquered Egypt. Often overlooked in the history books, these black pharoahs presided over an empire that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to present-day Khartoum.

In all, about 220 pyramids were built in Meroë, spread across three sites. They remained relatively intact until the 1830s, when Italian treasure hunter Giuseppe Ferlini smashed the tops off 40 pyramids while searching for gold and jewels.

It’s easy to forget the the Egyptians were far from the only – or even first – people to build great pyramids and pyramid-like structures.

In addition to the well-known constructions of the Aztecs, Mayans, and Toltecs, the Sumerians, Babylonians, Elamites, Akkadians, and Assyrians all built ziggurats and similar structures.

Via Atlas Obscura for the full article and additional photos.