1. The Resource-Rich Cultures of Nubia
Chapter 3 Section 5

2. Egypt’s Friend and Rival
An advanced culture appeared in Nubia 8,000 years ago.
One of the world’s oldest cultures
For most of their long history, Nubia and Egypt were peaceful neighbors.
Powerful kingdoms eventually arose in Upper Nubia  began to rival Egypt for power and control of land
Three of the more powerful kingdoms grew in the cities of Kerma, Napata, and Meroe.

3. African Map

4. The Kingdom of Kerma Rose in power at a time when Egypt was weakening
Third Cataract of the Nile
Expanded into parts of southern Egypt by 1600 B.C.
Gained power and wealth
Noted for its artisans
Buried kings in tombs under huge mounds of earth
Kings were placed on gold-covered beds and surrounded with jewelry, ivory, and gold

5. The Kingdom of Kerma
Egypt began to regain strength in the mid-1400s B.C.
Pharaoh Thutmose III led his armies into Nubia.
War lasted for 50 years.
Egyptians took control of Nubia as far south as the Fourth Cataract.
Egypt ruled Nubia for the next 700 years.
Nubians adopted many Egyptian ways during these years.
Began to worship Egyptian gods along with their own
Goods and people passed between Egypt and Nubia
Two cultures became mixed.

6. Kerma

7. The Kingdom of Napata Egypt was divided in the late 700s B.C.
Napata expanded its power into Egypt
Was centered near the Fourth Cataract of the Nile
Napatan kings eventually took control of more of Egypt
Kings admire Egyptian culture
Brought back Egyptian ways and preserved them
Began building pyramids to bury kings
Rule did not last very long.
660 B.C. they were forced back into Nubia and never again controlled Egyptian land.

8. Napata

9. The Kingdom of Meroe Royal court founded in the city of Meroe
Located on the Nile between the Fifth and Sixth cataracts
Became the center of an empire and stretched south into central Africa
Deposits of iron ore
Made weapons and tools
First Africans to specialize in ironworking
Iron plows  good supplies of food
Iron weapons  control trade routes that ran all the way to the Red Sea
Traded goods from Central Africa for goods from India, the Arabian Peninsula, and Rome

10. Meroe

11. The Kingdom of Meroe Kingdom began to weaken in A.D. 200s
To this day, Nubian styles of pottery, furniture, jewelry, beautiful braided hairstyles, and clothing survive among people of the modern-day country of Sudan.