Kerma (now known as Dukki Gel, a Nubian term which can be roughly translated as "red mound") is the capital city of the Kingdom of Kerma, which is located in present day Egypt and Sudan.

The Kerma site has been confirmed by archaeology to be at least 9,500 years old.

Around 3000 BCE, a cultural tradition begins around Kerma.

Kerma is a large urban center that is built around a large mud brick temple, known as the Western Deffufa.

Some unique aspects of this culture are beautiful pottery, the importance of cattle, a system of defense, and the King's audience chamber, which bears no resemblance to any Egyptian building (it is rebuilt ten times).

'Kerma' is also used to describe the early Sudanese kingdom, of which Kerma is capital.

This was one of the earliest African civilizations, commanding an empire that circa 1600 BCE rivals Egypt (stretching from the First to Fourth Cataracts).

Kerma is about 435 miles (700 km) away from Aswan.The Kerma culture is a early African civilization that flourishes from around 2500 BCE to about 1500 BCE in Nubia, present day Sudan, centered at Kerma.

It seems to have been one of a number of Sudanese states during the Middle Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt.

In its latest phase, lasting from about 1700–1500 BCE, it absorbs the Sudanese kingdom of Sai and becomes a sizable, populous empire rivaling Egypt.

Around 1500 BCE it is absorbed into the Egyptian Empire, but rebellions continue for centuries.

By the 11th century BCE, the more 'Egyptianized' Kingdom of Kush emerges, apparently from Kerma, and regains the region's independence from Egypt.