The Pyramid and Tomb of King Nastasen at Nuri is a partially collapsed ancient Kushite royal burial site located near the Nile in northern Sudan, within the archaeological zone that holds more pyramids than any other country on Earth. Nastasen is believed to have ruled the Kingdom of Kush from approximately 335 B.C. to 310 B.C., making his pyramid one of the later royal monuments constructed at Nuri before the burial ground was eventually abandoned. Unlike the grand intact chambers of Egyptian royalty, Nastasen's tomb comprises three underground chambers that have been entirely flooded by rising Nile groundwater and left structurally compromised by a collapsed middle chamber — conditions that have kept the innermost burial chamber sealed from modern investigation for decades. The site was partially excavated in the early 20th century by American archaeologist George Reisner, but the third chamber was never entered, meaning Nastasen's burial goods — and potentially his mummy — remained undocumented. Gates described the prospect of diving into this pitch-black flooded tomb as "by far the most dangerous expedition I've ever considered — but also the most exciting," framing it as a chance to document "a Kush king in his pyramid, something that has never been documented before."
King Nastasen begins his reign over the Kingdom of Kush, according to existing site data
Nastasen's death; he is interred in his pyramid at Nuri, believed to be the last Kushite king buried at this site
American archaeologist George Reisner partially excavates the tomb; the third burial chamber is never entered due to the collapsed second chamber
Gates joins archaeologist Pearce Paul Creasman for a dive into the flooded tomb during Expedition Unknown S12E01
Archaeologist Pearce Paul Creasman — who invited Gates to join the dive — represents the new generation of scientists working to recover and properly document Kushite history before rising groundwater permanently destroys what remains. The flooding of the Nuri tombs is an active and worsening preservation crisis, driven by changes in Nile water levels, and Creasman's team has been working to document the underwater chambers before conditions deteriorate further. The dive Gates participated in was not a casual exploration but a genuine scientific operation with strict time limits communicated from a topside team.
The Kingdom of Kush remains one of the ancient world's most underappreciated civilizations in popular culture, despite its extraordinary historical record. As Gates notes in his narration, Sudan is home to more pyramids than Egypt, and the Kushites were powerful enough to conquer ancient Egypt outright — ruling as pharaohs during the 25th Dynasty. Yet for much of the 20th century, early archaeologists wrongly attributed Kushite accomplishments to Egyptian influence, a mischaracterization that distorted the historical record for decades.
King Nastasen is particularly notable among Kushite rulers for reportedly repelling an Egyptian invasion, and his reign near the end of the Nuri burial tradition makes his tomb an important bookend to that royal cemetery. The fact that George Reisner — among the most accomplished archaeologists of his era — was unable to fully excavate the tomb speaks to the site's structural challenges even before the flooding worsened. What lies in the third chamber, including whether Nastasen's mummy survived, remains genuinely unknown.
Gates' episode contributed an unusual form of on-the-ground documentation: underwater footage and recovered artifacts from chambers that had effectively been inaccessible to archaeology for most of a century. The discovery that the central slab in the burial chamber appears hollow and consistent with a sarcophagus lid is a meaningful data point, though the episode stops well short of claiming the mummy has been found. As with many Expedition Unknown investigations, the episode opens a door rather than closing one — the question of what Nastasen's sealed burial chamber ultimately contains remains unanswered.
Sudan is believed to be home to more ancient pyramids than Egypt — a fact Gates uses as an opening pop quiz in the episode, calling Egypt's claim to pyramid dominance 'absolutely wrong.'
King Nastasen is believed to be the last Kushite king buried at the Nuri necropolis, making his pyramid a kind of endpoint for that royal burial tradition.
The third and innermost burial chamber of Nastasen's tomb was never entered by George Reisner during his early 20th-century excavation, leaving its contents undocumented for over a century.
Rising Nile groundwater has completely flooded all three chambers of the tomb, turning what was once an underground burial vault into an underwater archaeological site requiring scuba equipment to access.
The Nuri archaeological site is located in a remote area of northern Sudan, and independent access is likely challenging due to the region's infrastructure and ongoing archaeological restrictions. Visitors interested in Kushite history may be better served by pairing any trip with visits to the more accessible pyramid fields at Meroe. Check current travel advisories for Sudan before planning any visit, as conditions can change significantly.
Karima, Sudan, is the nearest town of note; the capital Khartoum is approximately 300 kilometers to the south.
The cooler months between November and February are generally considered the most manageable for travel in this region of Sudan, as summer temperatures can be extreme. Avoid the period of peak Nile flooding if attempting to visit active excavation areas.
Kingdom of Kush Pyramid Tombs
The Kingdom of Kush Pyramid Tombs represent the broader archaeological zone of Kushite royal burials that Gates investigated in the same episode and surrounding region of Sudan.
Ancient Egyptian tomb (Moses investigation)
Gates' investigation of ancient Egyptian tomb sites shares the same thematic focus on lost royal burials, sealed chambers, and the challenge of recovering mummies from compromised underground spaces.
Sky Caves of Nepal
The Sky Caves of Nepal represent a similarly daring physical investigation — Gates and a team conducting dangerous, technically demanding exploration of ancient burial chambers that had been inaccessible for centuries.