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Meroë: Africa's Forgotten Empire

120 kilometres north of Khartoum lie the ruins of ancient Meroë. One of the earliest cities in Africa outside Egypt, for almost a thousand years (c.700BC-AD330) Meroë was an important religious and administrative centre in the Kingdom of Kush. Today, Meroë is recognised academically as among the most important sites in the history of ancient Sudan, but is all-but-unknown to the general public. Overshadowed by its northern neighbour, Egypt, Meroë remains Africa's forgotten empire.

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Garstang Museum

an old black and white photo of a woman leaning against a wall

JG-M-Q-069 – In addition to a limited excavation of the cemetery at the city, the Garstang’s also managed a trip to the royal cemetery at Meroë, apparently for sightseeing purposes. The pyramids had been partially demolished in the 1830s, when treasure-hunter Giuseppe Ferlini had used dynamite on them, in hopes of finding jewellery. Marie Garstang, John Garstang’s wife, can be seen here, posing on one of the pyramids in the royal cemetery, wearing a pith helmet and a knife (1911-1914).

an old black and white photo of a woman working on something

JG-M-ZZ-03c (1913) – Work still had to be done, however, and there was no room for idlers. Mrs Garstang at work cleaning finds on the veranda of the Meroë dig house.

several people are playing golf in the desert

JG-M-ZZ-015 (1913) – Women playing golf at Meroë.

a group of people standing next to each other in front of a stone wall and wearing hats

JG-M-A-01a (1911) – Life on excavation wasn’t all hard work, and occasionally Garstang found time to entertain important visitors, as in this photograph from the site of Meroë in Sudan. Garstang (right, in white suit) standing next to archaeologist A.H. Sayce (second from right). With them are General Sir Francis Reginald Wingate, Sirdar of the Egyptian Army 1899-1916, his wife Lady Wingate, Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener (second from left), and E.C. Midwinter-Bey (left), the director of railways

an old black and white photo of some people in a field with a kite flying above them

JG-M-ZZ-014 (1913) – Group of people playing golf at Meroë. John and Marie Garstang can be seen in the background.

an old black and white photo of three men sitting at a table in front of tents

JG-M-Z-015 (1910) – Archibald Sayce (left), John Garstang (middle), and a third man, possibly Peter Drummond, having breakfast at their camp at Meroë, during the first season of excavations.

an old black and white photo of men working on a power line in the middle of nowhere

JG-M-A-016 (1912) – Garstang also had an aerial railway built at the site of Meroë for moving debris, which was paid for by the businessman Robert Mond, and built in Widnes (Merseyside, England). Workmen can be seen here operating the aerial railway.

an old black and white photo of people standing on top of a pile of rocks

JG-M-A-027 (1914) – Workmen at the loading point of the aerial railway at site 286 at Meroë.

an old black and white photo of people in front of a building

JG-M-A-06 - A tea party at the excavators’ house at Meroë, built during the third season of archaeological work at the site (1911-1912).

an old black and white photo of people sitting at a picnic table in front of a house

JG-M-ZZ-02 (1913) – John Garstang (standing, middle) and his team, having tea on the veranda, outside the Meroë dig house. The two men on the left may be W.J. Phythian-Adams, and Mr Hamilton Beattie. Phythian-Adams, an architect, was brought onto the excavation in the later seasons by Garstang.