Sudan arrests mummy smugglers

Darfur: Sudanese authorities have arrested 12 people accused of stealing ancient relics including two whole mummies.

The state Sudanese Media Centre said in a statement, "The police authorities in Nile state have thwarted an attempt to smuggle ancient artefacts."

It is not known how old the mummies are.

Sudan, home of the ancient Nubian civilisation, has more pyramids than neighbouring Egypt, but little excavation is done on its archaeological sites.

Sometimes known as the "Black Pharaohs," Nubian kings ruled Egypt from roughly 760 B.C. to 660 B.C. Sudan's most viewed pyramids in Merowe in northern Sudan date from about 300 B.C.