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.