The Civilization of KushThe Civilization of KushChapter 2 Section 4

World HistoryMrs. Thompson

Nubia is the region of North Africa on the east side of the Nile, just downstream from the fourth cataract.

MAIN IDEA: To the south of Egypt, the Nubians settled in

farming villages and became the string warriors.

From Where Did They Come?From Where Did They Come?

• Cattle herders arrived 2000 B.C.

• Grazed herds on savannas- grassy plains across Africa south of the Sahara

Kingdom of KermaKingdom of Kerma

1. More powerful villages took over weaker ones to set up Kerma.

1. More powerful villages took over weaker ones to set up Kerma.

2. Close ties to Egypt.2. Close ties to Egypt.

3. Kerma produced: cattle, gold, ivory, and slaves for Egypt .

3. Kerma produced: cattle, gold, ivory, and slaves for Egypt .

4. Artisans made pottery, jewelry, metal goods. 4. Artisans made pottery, jewelry, metal goods.

5. Kings built tombs like Egyptian pharaohs.5. Kings built tombs like Egyptian pharaohs.

Why Did Egypt Invade Nubia?Why Did Egypt Invade Nubia?

Military CollapseEgyptianRule

Cultural Changes

Thutmose III sent armies into Nubia in 1400s

B.C.

Kerma collapsed after 50 years of

war.

Egyptians ruled for

more than 700 years.

Egyptian ways were adopted: religion,

copper and bronze making,

hieroglyphics.

Meroitic – Adaptation of Heiroglyphics

Meroitic – Adaptation of Heiroglyphics

• The system is written from right to left

• Total of 23 symbols included four vowels

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Meroitic Writing: Never DecodedMeroitic Writing: Never Decoded

The Rise of KushThe Rise of KushMain Idea:

The people of Kush devoted themselves to

ironworking and grew wealthy from trade.

Kings of KushKings of KushBy 850 B.C., independent

kingdom of Kush had formed.

In Napata, caravans easily came there to carry gold, ivory, and exotic woods to Egypt.

Kushite kings ruled from the capital city of Napata.

Important PeopleImportant People750 B.C., King Kashta began conquest of Egypt and son Piye finished job to rule Kush and Egypt from Napata.

KINGDOM OF KUSHKINGDOM OF KUSH

King Piye: Pharaoh of EgyptKing Piye: Pharaoh of EgyptKings of Kush built temples and smaller

pyramids to bury kings.

Pyramids at MeroePyramids at Meroe

ArtsArts

• Traditionally Kushite Kings were buried in pyramids, therefore much of the time that would have otherwise been used for other arts was taken up by building these massive structures.

ReligionReligion• Polytheistic

• They worshipped Osiris, Ra and Isis

• Pyramids

– Burials

– Ladder to heaven

– Chapel

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Amun RaAmun RaAmun Ra was the

most important God to the Kush.

He was known as the sun god to both the Kush and Egyptians.

Jelbel Barkel: Center of Amon Priesthood

Jelbel Barkel: Center of Amon Priesthood

Local Gods Worshiped here

Funerary Images modeled on EgyptFunerary Images modeled on Egypt

Canoptic JarsCanoptic Jars

Egyptian

Influence:

Queen

Alakhebasken

Ram’s HeadRam’s Head

Incorporates

Egyptian

Themes

ArtsArts• They took after

the Egyptians

• Advanced level of craft

• Pottery

• Jewelry

600s B.C., Assyrians invaded Egypt and pushed the Kush

back south

600s B.C., Assyrians invaded Egypt and pushed the Kush

back southImportace of Iron

Kushites learned secret of making iron from the Assyrians.

First Africans to

devote themselves to making

iron.

Used iron to make

hoes and plows

improving their

farming.

Traders took goods as far away as China and military got stronger with iron weapons.

Kush and Meroe

Kush and Meroe

540 B.C., they set up capital at Meroe which was further south and out of reach from the Assyrians.

NEW CAPITAL AT MEROENEW CAPITAL AT MEROE

The desert to the east contained rich deposits of iron ore and well as strategic access to the Nile.

Meroe began to look like Egyptian city with pyramids.

Building a Profitable Trade

Building a Profitable Trade

The Nile was crucial to the economy.– Only water source.– Only feasible route

to sub Saharan Africa.

Meroe became center of huge trading network.

Temple: MeroeTemple: Meroe

TradeTrade• Kushite traders

received leopard skins and exotic woods from the interior of Africa and traded their own goods as well to Mediterranean and Indian Ocean civilizations.

GOLDEN AGE OF KUSHGOLDEN AGE OF KUSH300 BC – 100 ADKeys to Success

locationlandenergetic people

Cultureengraved wallsstone pyramidsdeveloped own writing system in 300 BC (not translated yet)

Relief Celebrating Meroitic QueenRelief Celebrating Meroitic Queen

Colonial Period at Abu Sembel

Colonial Period at Abu Sembel

Cups from MeroeCups from Meroe

Lion’s Temple: NaqaLion’s Temple: Naqa

Depictions on

Temple face

Show power

Of Queens or

Candake

Elephant SculptureElephant Sculpture

By A.D. 200s, Kush began to weaken.

Kingdom known as Axum from current-day Ethiopia burned Meroe to the ground in A.D. 350.