Download - The Civilization of Kush
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
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.