The International Kurru Archaeological Project (IKAP) is a collaborative archaeological project co-directed by Geoff Emberling (Associate Research Scientist) of the Kelsey Museum, University of Michigan and Rachael J. Dann (Associate Professor, Egyptian & Sudanese Archaeology) of the University of Copenhagen.
El-Kurru is one of the most important sites of ancient Kush. It was a royal pyramid burial ground for many of the kings and queens of the dynasty of Napata from about 850-650 BCE, including burials of kings who conquered Egypt and ruled there as its 25 th Dynasty.
El-Kurru is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of “Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region.”
Our project, which began in 2013, has aimed to situate the royal cemetery in its broader context. We have also undertaken conservation and community engaged heritage work with the goal of presenting the site more effectively to visitors.
You can read more about the work we are doing on site — Excavation, Conservation, Imaging and Cultural Heritage Projects — under the heading Fieldwork. Links to our official published reports on the site can be found under Reports. Other reports on the site can be found under Press. Websites for other archaeological organizations and excavations in the region can be found under Links. The newest information about our site can be found in our Blog.
Field Directors:
The work at El Kurru is made possible by the permission of the National Council for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) in Sudan, by the support and kindness of the people of the village of El Kurru, and by our various sponsors, to whom we are grateful.
Qatar Sudan Archaeological Project
University of Michigan
UNESCO