1. The Kingdom of Kush/Nubia: 3800 BCE to 1400 CE

2. Map of Nubia

3. Egypt Names Nubia “Kush”

4. Main Ideas of Ancient Kush
The Geography of Early Nubia helped civilization develop there
Kush and Egypt traded, but they also fought
Later Kush became a trading power with a unique culture
Both internal and external factors led to the demise of Kush

5. Geography of Nubia South of Egypt Situated along the Nile River
Unlike Egypt, they were not dependent upon the flooding of the Nile for good soil. They enjoyed tropical rainfall all year long.
Cataracts keep Nubia safe from invaders for some time

6. Nubia – “Land of Gold”
Nubia was a land of natural wealth. They had gold mines, ivory, incense, copper and iron ore.

7. Daily Life of Common People
Most people lived in farming villages- Each village had a leader
Like most ancient peoples, Nubians depended on agriculture for their food
Agricultural crops: Yams, beans, rice, onions, papaya, gourds, cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, cotton, and peanuts.
Dressed similar to Egyptians at first (white cotton) , then dressing more like those in the Southern Sahara (colorful cotton)

8. Daily Life of Kings, Queens &Nobles
Kings, Queens and Nobles lived in riverside palaces
Queens were often more powerful than Kings
At first they modeled themselves after Egyptian Kings & Queens

9. Ancient Kushite Religion
At first Kush worships the same gods as the Egyptians
Mummified the dead
Built pyramids – similar but were smaller with flat tops

10. Relations with Egypt
Kush respected Egyptian culture and traded with them
In the New Kingdom, Egypt felt threatened by Kush so they conquered Kush in 1500 BC
Egypt ruled Kush for about 450 years (until the end of the New Kingdom)

11. Kush’s Time of Glory
After the New Kingdom fell, Kush senses Egypt’s weakness and conquers Upper Egypt.
They then make relations with Lower Egypt and conquer them.
Kashta and his son Piankhi Extend the Kushite kingdom from Napata in Nubia to the
Nile Delta.

12. Piankhi BCE
Piankhi was the son of Kashta, and a very powerful military leader. He was very religious. He believed he had the support of the gods to rule over the Egyptian people.

13. Kushite Occupation of Egypt
Kush’s occupation in Egypt is know as the 25th Dynasty
Piankhi and his relatives believed the old pharaohs of Egypt were their ancestors.
Kush tried to restore Egyptian cultural practices
They bulit temples to Egyptian gods
The worked to preserve hieroglyphics

14. The End of Kushite Occupation of Egypt
Kush held Egypt for about 50 years until the Assyrians invaded
They had better iron weapons than the Kushites

15. Kush Becomes the Iron Capital of the Ancient World
After their defeat by the Assyrians, the Kushites retreat back to their homeland – Nubia
There they devoted themselves to trade
The city of Meroe is the economic capital

16. Kush Becomes the Iron Capital of the Ancient World
Meroe is an area full of rich iron ore deposits
This is the place where AFRICA’s first iron industry begins
People need iron to make weapons
To create iron there was a need for wood to burn in furnaces to melt down the iron ore

17. Trade Networks
Ancient peoples want iron weapons and statues this sparks the desire to trade
Kush sent goods down to Nile to Egypt
Egyptian and Greek merchants carried goods to ports in the Mediterranean and Red Seas and ports in southern Africa.
In later times Kushite goods may have even traveled to India and perhaps China
Trade with other nations brought cultural influences to Kush

18. Trade Networks Exports Imports Gold Fine jewelry Pottery Iron tools
Slaves
Ivory
Leopard skins
Ostrich Feathers
Elephants
Imports
Fine jewelry
Luxury items

19. The Demise of Kush
To make iron, they needed to wood to burn. They had used up much of their wood. Their resources were dwindling.
Kush could not produce as much iron as they had in the past, yet demand for iron was growing. Traders began to look elsewhere for iron.
By 300s AD Kush lost its wealth a
military might
The Kingdom of Aksum conquers Kush

20. Video Notes