Eastern Deffufa Sudan

This site is thought to have been a royal cemetery. Around the kings' tombs archaeologists have discovered some 30,000 other graves, many of whose inhabitants appear to have been ritually sacrificed to accompany the king to the underworld. Encircling the human graves, archaeologists have also unearthed around 5000 cattle skulls, which indicates just how important cattle was to the people who once lived here. This site is about 3km west of the town centre. There's usually no ghaffir (guard) on duty, so entrance is free.