Why is the site of Qustul important? 

Qustul in Lower Nubia was excavated in response to rising waters caused by the first Aswan Dam, and is now submerged under Lake Nasser. Cemetery L at Qustul accommodated 33 elite burials and several ritualistic cattle burials. Twelve tombs of the tombs are royal, featuring a long trench and oval chamber carved to the side. These are only much bigger than the rest of the tombs, but also contained many furnishings: mostly A-Group, as well as imported ones from Egypt and Palestine. The cemetery was used for nearly four generations, indicating hereditary and long-term status similar to Egypt’s first kings. Qustul controlled overland routes along the Nile in an area where upstream navigation was impossible. The special place Qustul held in African trade routes likely accelerated social stratification and the consolidation of political power both in Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia in the third millennium. The Qustul elites established their power and wealth through trade (cattle, gold, aromatic substances, animals, and skins), while Egyptian elites consolidated and expanded their rule by accessing goods traded through Qustul.