List of World Heritage Sites in Sudan

Jebel Barkal

Meroë

Dungonab Bay

Sanganeb

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Location of World Heritage Sites in Sudan. Red dots are the two cultural sites, green dots are the two components of the natural site.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. ^[1] Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation, or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. ^[2] Sudan accepted the convention on 6 June 1974. ^[3] There are three World Heritage Sites in Sudan, with a further 15 on the tentative list. ^[3]

The first site in Sudan was listed in 2003, this was Jebel Barkal and the associated sites. The sites of Meroë were listed in 2011 and Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park in 2016. The latter is a natural site while the first two are listed for their cultural significance. ^[3] Sudan has served one term on the World Heritage Committee. ^[3]

World Heritage Sites

UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural. ^[4]

World Heritage Sites

Site	Image	Location (state)	Year listed	UNESCO data	Description
Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region		Northern	2003	1073; i, ii, iii, iv, vi (cultural)	The archaeological area in Nubia comprises sites from the Napatan (900 to 270 BCE) and Meroitic (270 BCE to 350 CE) cultures of the Kingdom of Kush. Jebel Barkal (pictured) with the Temple of Amun at its foot was considered a sacred mountain. Monuments include temples, tombs, palaces, residential buildings, and Nubian pyramids, which have steep angles and decorated sides. Some aspects of burial practices remained in use until the introduction of Christianity in the 6th century. [5]
Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe		River Nile	2011	1336; ii, iii, iv, v (cultural)	This site comprises three archaeological sites on the Island of Meroë between the Nile and the Atbarah River: the city of Meroë and the settlements of Musawwarat es-Sufra and Naqa. Meroë was the capital of the Kingdom of Kush which existed over a millennium and at some point ruled Egypt for over a century. It declined with the arrival of Christianity in the 6th century. Monuments include several Nubian pyramids (pictured), temples, tombs, and residential buildings. The architecture reflects the interaction of cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Mediterranean, and Middle East. [6]
Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park		Red Sea	2016	262rev; vii, ix, x (natural)	This site comprises two marine and coastal areas in the Red Sea. Sanganeb is an isolated atoll with some of the world's northernmost coral reef systems. Dungonab Bay with Mukkawar Island has coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, and intertidal mudflats. It is home to an important population of endangered dugongs. Other animals that live in the area include manta rays, sea turtles, sharks, and dolphins. There are numerous endemic reef fish species. The area is also important for migratory birds. [7]

Tentative list

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. ^[8] Sudan maintains 15 properties on its tentative list. ^[3]

Tentative sites

Site	Image	Location (state)	Year listed	UNESCO criteria	Description
Suakin		Red Sea	1994	(cultural)	Suakin was an important medieval and Ottoman-era port. It has fine houses and mosques. [9]
Kerma		Northern	1994	(cultural)	Kerma was the centre of the Kerma culture in the 3rd and 2nd millennium BCE. There are remains of mudbrick buildings and a large cemetery with a funerary chapel. [10]
Old Dongola		Northern	1994	(cultural)	Old Dongola was the capital of Makuria, a Christian kingdom that existed between the 7th and 14th centuries. There are several houses, churches, and mosques, with some buildings having walls finely decorated with frescoes. [11]
Wadi Howar National Park		Northern	2004	vii, viii, ix, x (natural)	Wadi Howar used to be a tributary of the Nile during the African humid period, today it is a wadi. The national park that encompasses it contains Meidob volcanic field (satellite image pictured), Jebel Rahib hills, paleo lakes, and dunes. The area is home to the Dorcas gazelle, ostrich, and Barbary sheep. [12]
Dinder National Park		Sennar	2021	vii, ix, x (natural)	The park significant from the natural point of view because it falls on the ecotone between the Sahel and Ethiopian Highlands ecoregions. It contains three distinct ecosystems, riverine-riparian zone, woodlands, and mayas, which are wetlands with oxbow lakes. Rich in biodiversity, it is home to the tiang, roan antelope, warthog, baboon, and lion. [13]
Jebel Al Dair National Park		North Kordofan	2021	vii, ix, x (natural)	The park centres around the Jebel Dair, a group of mountains that peak almost 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above the surrounding plains with dry savanna, reaching elevations above 1,400 m (4,600 ft). This setting allowed four different habitat types to evolve on the mountain slopes. There are several springs on the mountains, some of them seasonal. The area is rich in plant diversity, with numerous herb, shrub, grass, and tree species. Animals of the park include the rock hyrax, greater kudu, and baboon. [14]
Al Hassania National Park		River Nile	2021	vii, ix, x (natural)	The area is a desert and semi desert with sand dunes. The vegetation is sparse and consists of shrubs and grasses. It is home to the Barbary sheep and Dorcas gazelle. [15]
Al Radom National Park		South Darfur	2021	vii, ix, x (natural)	The area is covered by wooded savanna and receives high rainfall. There are numerous rivers, streams, and oxbow lakes. Abundant water resources support diverse wildlife, in particular birds, such as the saddle-billed stork, Abyssinian ground hornbill, and marabou stork. There are also numerous termite mounds. [16]
Jebel Marra / Deriba Caldera (crater lake)		Central Darfur	2021	vii, viii, ix, x (natural)	Jebel Marra is the highest mountain range in Sudan, reaching an elevation of 3,042 metres (9,980 ft). Deriba, the highest peak, is a dormant volcano with two crater lakes (one pictured) in the collapsed mouth. There are also hot springs and fumaroles. The mountains support diverse habitat types and are rich in biodiversity, with 295 recorded bird species. [17]
The Monuments of the Kingdom of Kerma and Dokki Geil		Northern	2022	i, ii, iii, iv, v (cultural)	This nomination comprises the archaeological sites of Kerma, the centre of the Kerma culture that flourished between 2500 and 1500 BCE, and the nearby ceremonial city Dokki Geil that was founded by the Egyptian pharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt that conquered Kerma c. 1500 BCE. Remains in Kerma include temples, palaces, residential buildings, storage places, and fortifications. Western Deffufa, a large mudbrick temple, is pictured. [18]
Sai Island		Northern	2022	ii, iii, iv (cultural)	Saï is the largest island in the Nile. Excavations have uncovered traces of Homo erectus and early Homo sapiens . In historical times, it was an important Egyptian site in Nubia during the New Kingdom period, illustrating the interactions between Egyptian and Nubian cultures. It was the seat of Medieval Christian bishops and has an Ottoman fort from the 16th century. [19]
The Temple of Soleb		Northern	2022	ii, iii, iv (cultural)	The temple was constructed during the reign of Amenhotep III (1378-1348 BCE), in the New Kingdom period, and remained in use for several generations. Initially dedicated to Amun, it was rededicated to Aten under Akhenaten. Artistically, the temple marks a transition of the more conservative style of Thutmose IV to more naturalistic depictions of humans. It has both Egyptian and Nubian gods portrayed on the walls, showing the harmonious coexistence of the two cultures in that period. [20]
Banganarti		Northern	2022	ii, iii, iv, v (cultural)	A large church in Banganarti was an important pilgrimage site in the Middle Nile area, attracting pilgrims from as far as France and Yemen. It was dedicated to archangel Raphael. It was built in the 11th century in Byzantine style upon the site of an earlier church. There are numerous pictures and graffiti on the walls, left by the pilgrims through centuries. The church was abandoned in the 15th century. [21]
Al Khandaq Village		Northern	2022	ii, iii, iv (cultural)	The village, located on the site of earlier New Kingdom and Makurian settlements, used to be an important port on the Nile, until it started to decline in the 20th century. It has two-storey mudbrick buildings that were used by rich merchants. [22]
Wadi Hower National Park - Gala Abou Ahmed (mixed natural and cultural site)		Northern, North Darfur, North Kordofan	2022	ii, iii, v, vii, ix, x (mixed)	Wadi Howar used to be a tributary of the Nile during the African humid period, today it is a wadi. The national park that encompasses it contains Meidob volcanic field, Jebel Rahib hills, paleo lakes, and dunes. The area is home to the Dorcas gazelle, ostrich, and Barbary sheep. There are numerous archaeological sites in the area, indicating human occupation between the 6th and 1st millennium BCE, and the fortress Gala Abu Ahmed from the Napatan period. [23]

References

1. "The World Heritage Convention". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
2. "Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
3. "Sudan". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
4. "The Criteria for Selection". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 12 June 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
5. "Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
6. "Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 30 June 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
7. "Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
8. "Tentative Lists". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 24 September 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
9. "Suakin". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
10. "Kerma". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
11. "Old Dongola". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
12. "Wadi Howar National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
13. "Dinder National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
14. "Jebel Al Dair National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
15. "Al Hassania National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
16. "Al Radom National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 5 November 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
17. "Jebel Marra / Deriba Caldera (crater lake)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
18. "The Monuments of the Kingdom of Kerma and Dokki Geil". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
19. "Sai Island". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
20. "The Temple of Soleb". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
21. "Banganarti". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
22. "Al Khandaq Village". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
23. "Wadi Hower National Park - Gala Abou Ahmed (mixed natural and cultural site)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.