Musawwarat es-Sufra

Musawwarat es-Sufra

المصورات الصفراء
Apedemak Lion Temple
Shown within Northeast Africa Show map of Northeast Africa Musawwarat es-Sufra (Sudan) Show map of Sudan
Alternative name	Musawwarat es-Sufra
Location	Musawwarat es-Sufra, River Nile (state), Sudan
Region	Nubia
Coordinates	16°24′57″N 33°19′25″E / 16.41583°N 33.32361°E / 16.41583; 33.32361
Type	Sanctuary
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Archaeological sites of the Island of Meroe
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iii, iv, v
Designated	2011 (35th session)
Reference no.	1336
Region	Arab States

Musawwarat es-Sufra (Arabic:المصورات الصفراء al-Musawwarāt as-sufrā, Meroitic: Aborepi, Old Egyptian: jbrp, jpbr-ˁnḫ), also known as Al-Musawarat Al-Sufra, is a large Meroitic temple complex in modern Sudan, dating back to the early Meroitic period of the 3rd century BC.^[1] It is located in a large basin surrounded by low sandstone hills in the western Butana, 180 km northeast of Khartoum, 20 km north of Naqa and approximately 25 km south-east of the Nile. With Meroë and Naqa it is known as the Island of Meroe, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.^[2] Constructed in sandstone, the main features of the site include the Great Enclosure, the Lion Temple of Apedemak and the Great Reservoir. Most significant is the number of representations of elephants, suggesting that this animal played an important role at Musawwarat es-Sufra.