Kingdom of Kerma Established

The Kingdom of Kerma emerged around 2400 BCE along the Nile River in northern Sudan. Named after its capital city at the third cataract, Kerma controlled territory from the first to fifth cataracts. Archaeological evidence shows monumental architecture including the mud-brick Western Deffufa temple, fortifications, and royal burial tumuli. Located where river trade required portage around cataracts, Kerma's rulers controlled commerce between Egypt and sub-Saharan Africa. The kingdom lasted nearly a thousand years through agriculture, animal husbandry, and trade in gold, ivory, and exotic goods, developing distinct pottery styles and burial practices.