Chapter 5, Lesson 3
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Transcript Chapter 5, Lesson 3
Chapter 5, Lesson 4
The Kingdom of Kush
The Nubians
► Other
civilizations also flourished alongside Egypt
in Africa.
One of these was Nubia (Later known as Kush)
and was located south of Egypt along the Nile
River in Present-day Sudan.
► The first to settle were Cattle herders in 2000 B.C.
Herded long-horned cattle on the savannas. (a
flat grassland, sometimes with scattered trees,
in a tropical or subtropical area)
These people would eventually settle into
farming villages along the Nile River.
The Nubians
► The
savannah was different from Egypt’s
desert areas.
The land was already fertile and did not need
the Nile River to make it so.
It rained all year long.
They grew beans, yams, rice, and grains.
They were also hunters who were very skilled
with the bow and arrow.
The Rise of Kerma
► Like
most cultures, the strong Nubian villages took
over the weaker ones eventually forming the
Kingdom of Kerma (KAR-muh).
They grew wealthy from agriculture and the
mining of gold.
► Their kingdom had a close relationship with Egypt
in the north.
The Rise of Kerma
► They
benefited from their central location in the
Nile.
Made it an important trade link between Egypt
and tropical areas of southern Africa.
The Egyptians were able to get cattle, gold,
incense, ivory, giraffes, leopards, and enslaved
people.
Also used the Nubians to serve in their armies
because of their skill in warfare.
Kerma also produced fine pottery, jewelry, and
metal goods.
The Rise of Kerma
► They
built tombs for their kings just like
Egypt.
Like pharaohs, they were buried with their
personal belongings such as gold, jewelry,
pottery, and valuable gems.
These were built during the same time as those
in Egypt.
Egyptian Invasion
► The
Egyptians armies invaded Nubia in the
1400s B.C.
After 50 years of war the Nubians were
conquered and were rules for the next 700
years.
► This
led to the adoption of many customs
and beliefs of Egypt.
They worshipped the Egyptian gods as well as
their own Nubian gods.
Made copper and bronze tools.
Adapted hieroglyphs to fit their own language
and created an alphabet.
The Kushite Kingdom
► Egypt
had become very weak at the end of
it’s Middle Kingdom.
It found itself in a position where it could no
longer control the people it ruled.
The Nubians used this as an opportunity to
break free from Egypt’s rule.
The Rise of Kush
► The
Nubians had formed an independent
kingdom known as Kush by 850 B.C.
► It’s capital city was Napata (NA-puh-tuh),
located in the upper part of the Nile River.
This is where caravans would cross from central
Africa, brining ivory and other goods.
They would pick up Kushite items while there
and continue on to Egypt.
Egypt often traded for things it could not make
on its own and it brought wealth to Kush.
Kush Conquers Egypt
► Eventually,
Kush became powerful enough
to take over Egypt.
► A Kushite king named Kashta (KAHSH-tuh)
invaded Egypt in 750, B.C.
The soldiers made it all the way into Thebes.
► After
Kashta died, his so Piye (PY) became
king and finished the conquest of Egypt in
720 B.C.
He was the 25th Dynasty that governed over
Egypt and Kush from Napata.
Kush Conquers Egypt
► The
king and wealthy people of Kush
continued to admire Egyptian Culture.
They would build white sandstone temples and
monuments similar to Egypt.
► Also
had a close relationship with their
rulers and deities.
When a king died, they would ask Amon-Re to
appoint a new leader.
They also built steeply-sloped pyramid tombs
for their kings.
Kush Conquers Egypt
► Some
people Kush would pull from cultures
located in southern African.
Ex: wearing ankle and ear jewelry.
Also developed their own style of painted
pottery.
► The
elephant was seen as a sacred animal
and could be found in sculptures and other
arts.
Using Iron
For 60 years, Kush ruled Egypt.
Then came the Assyrians in 671 B.C. to invade Egypt.
► The Kushites were defeated by the Assyrians iron
weapons and were forced to return to their homeland in
the south.
Bronze was not as strong as iron.
► They did eventually learn to make iron weapons from
the Assyrians.
Tools would soon be made out of iron instead of
copper or stone.
This led to growing more grain and other crops.
Warriors made their weapons out of iron which
increased their military strength.
►
The Capital of Meroë
► Kush’s
rulers would move their capital to the city
of Meroë around 540 B.C.
It was located near one of the Nile’s cataracts.
It served the purpose of protecting them from
Assyrian attacks and
The Nile would continue to allow them to trade
with and transport themselves.
► Trees were used to fuel furnaces with iron ores.
This made Meroë a major center for iron
production as well as a busy trading city.
The Capital of Meroë
► Meroë
was modeled after Egyptian cities.
A temple dedicated to Amon-Re was located at
the end of an avenue lined with ram sculptures.
Palace and house walls were decorated with
paintings.
Small pyramids modeled after Egypt’s own
pyramids were found in the royal graveyard.
► What
made Meroë different were it’s iron
furnaces.
Heaps of black slag, or waste from iron making,
were around the furnaces.
A Trading Center
► Meroë
was right in the middle of many trade routes
running north to Egypt’s border and south in central
Africa.
They traded for leopard skins and valuable wood
found in the tropical interior of Africa.
► They would trade with places as far away as Arabia,
India, China, and Rome.
Trade items included the ones mentioned above,
as well as enslaved workers and iron products.
They received textiles (woven cloth), and other
goods.
► They built fine houses and public baths like those in
Rome with the wealth they generated.
A Trading Center
► For
600 years, Kush remained a great trading
kingdom.
► Another kingdom named Axum (AHK-soon) would
eventually conquer them.
Emerged near the Red Sea in eastern Africa
where it gained most of its strength from.
It was located in preset-day country of Ethiopia.
Goods from Africa would come into Axum and
would serve as trade center for the ancient
Mediterranean and East African worlds.
► Around 350 B.C., the armies of Axum invaded
Kush and destroyed Meroë.