Transcript Ancient Kush

Ancient Kush
A Part of Nubia
Kush is where . . .
• In a region called Nubia
• The Egyptians called this area Kush
• It was located on the southern end of the Nile
River
• The Nile river also flooded in Kush as in Egypt
• Kush was also rich in gold, copper, and stone
Nubian Civilization
• Depended on farming / agriculture for food
• Capital city was Kerma
• The “cataracts” (rapids) made natural barriers
from invaders (including Egypt)
• Kush and Egypt were neighbors
• Kush became Egypt’s major supplier of slaves,
gold, copper, stone, ebony (dark wood), &
ivory (from elephant tusks)
Egypt takes over Kush
• During the reign of Thutmose I, Egypt took
control of Kush for 450 years
• Egyptian temples were then built in Kush and
the people used the Egyptian language and
dressed like Egyptians
• The leaders of Kush eventually took back
control of Kush sometime before 850 B.C.E.
• By 716 B.C.E., Kush gained control of Egypt
Kush
• Kush lost control of Egypt when the Assyrians
pushed them back to Kush
• The Assyrians fought with Iron weapons which
were better than Kush’s bronze weapons
• This lead the Kushites to find iron ore and
build the world’s first iron industry
• Kush developed a trade network system that
used many exports and imports
Kush
• The influence of Egypt was seen throughout Kush
in the buildings, gods worshiped, clothing, and
temples built
• Women in Kush were very active and a few
eventually became pharaohs
• There were several reason why Kush declined
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overgrazing
Cutting/use of TOO many trees
Loss of trade
Loss of trade routes coming into Kush