a town of Nubia, on the right bank of the Nile, 529 miles S. of Assuan, on the borders of Upper Egypt, and 207 N. of Semnaar; N. Lat. 16. 38., E. Long. 33. 15. It was formerly a place of much importance, hav- ing been the capital of the region that anciently formed the celebrated state of Meroe, and containing a population of 50,000; but it was laid waste by the Egyptian forces in 1822, and has never since recovered its former prosperity. The place now consists of a mere collection of mud huts, and has no buildings of any importance. Some trade is still carried on. European wares are imported through Egypt, and coffee from Abyssinia; while slaves and cattle are ex- ported to Egypt. The population has now dwindled to about 4000.