12.2 Later Kush

The Big Idea: Although Kush developed an advanced civilization, it eventually declined.

Main Idea 1: Kush’s economy grew because of its iron industry and trade network.

 During this period, the economic center of Kush was Meroë, the new Kushite capital on the east bank of the Nile.  Meroë became the center of a large trade network (a system of people in different lands who trade goods back and forth). Kushites sent goods down the Nile to Egypt & the Kushite people benefited from this trade.

 From there, Egyptian and Greek merchants (people who trade goods) carried goods to ports on the Mediterranean and Red seas and to southern Africa.  Kush’s exports (items sent to other regions for trade) included gold, pottery, iron tools, slaves, ivory, leopard skins, ostrich feathers, and elephants.

Kush Exports

 Exports were extremely important. If Kushites didn’t have them – they would have been unable to trade for other goods.  Kush’s imports (goods brought in from other regions) included jewelry and other luxury items.

Main Idea 2: Some elements of Kushite society and culture were borrowed from other cultures while others were unique to Kush.

Kushite Culture  Egyptian influence – the Kushite culture was influenced by Egyptian culture.  Buildings, gods, clothing, titles, pyramids

Kushite Culture  Unique cultural elements  Daily life  Houses  Hunting prey  Additional gods  A written language, Meroitic, which has not been interpreted

Women in Kushite Society  Kushite women were expected to play many active roles including workers and fighters.  Kushite women worked in the fields, raised children, cooked, performed other household tasks, and fought alongside the men during times of war.

Women in Kushite Society  Some Kushite women rose to positions of authority (power or influence), especially religious authority. King Piankhi and later rulers made some princesses priestesses.  Although it was uncommon - some women served as co-rulers with their husbands or sons. A few, such as Queen Shanakhdakheto, even ruled the empire alone.

Main Idea 3: The decline and defeat of Kush was caused by both internal and external factors.

 The Kushite kingdom reached its height in the first century BC. Four centuries later, it collapsed due to internal and external factors:  Farmers allowed their cattle to overgraze the land, causing the soil to blow away – known as topsoil erosion.  Ironmakers probably used up the forests, decreasing production of weapons and trade goods.  Foreign merchants set up new trade routes bypassing Kush in favor of Aksum.

Rise of Aksum  Aksum was located southeast of Kush on the Red Sea, in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.  Aksum’s trade, wealth, and power came at the expense of a weakened Kush.

Rise of Aksum  In about AD 350 the army of Aksum’s King Ezana destroyed Meroë and took over the kingdom of Kush.  In the late 300s the rulers of Aksum became Christian and the last influences of Kush disappeared.