Lion Temple (Apedemak Temple) at Musawwarat es-Sufra

The Lion Temple (or Apedemak Temple) at Musawwarat es-Sufra is a typical Meroitic single-roomed temple, dedicated to the lion god Apedemak, an indigenous Meroitic deity. It was constructed under king Arnakhamani (c. 235–218 BC) and is one of the most important religious monuments of the Early Meroitic period, testifying to seminal changes in Kushite religion in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. In the previous Napatan period (c. 650–300 BC), the Kushite pantheon – at least as represented in monumental sources – is exclusively composed of gods with an origin in Pharaonic Egypt, such as Amun. Non-Egyptian indigenous deities only appear in the subsequent Meroitic period (c. 300 BC–350 AD). The Lion Temple at Musawwarat is a manifestation of this development: The gods Apedemak, Sebiumeker and Arensnuphis are depicted here for the first time.