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Ancient History – Mr. Stavisky
Ancient Africa Kingdom of Kush (Nubia) Kingdom of Kush
Ancient Africa Kingdom of Kush (Nubia) Kingdom of Kush. The Kingdom of Kush
was an ancient civilization in Africa. It is often referred to as Nubia and had close
ties to Ancient Egypt. Where was the Kingdom of Kush located? The Kingdom of
Kush was located in Northeast Africa just south of Ancient Egypt. The main cities
of Kush were situated along the Nile River, the White Nile River, and the Blue Nile
River. Today, the land of Kush is the country of Sudan. How long did the Kingdom
of Kush rule? The Kingdom of Kush lasted for over 1400 years. It was first
established around 1070 BCE when it gained its independence from Egypt. It
quickly became a major power in Northeast Africa. In 727 BCE, Kush took control
of Egypt and ruled until the Assyrians arrived. The empire began to weaken after
Rome conquered Egypt and eventually collapsed sometime in the 300s CE. Two
Capitals. The Kingdom of Kush had two different capital cities. The first capital
was Napata. Napata was located along the Nile River in Northern Kush. Napata
served as the capital during the height of Kush's power. Sometime around 590
BCE, the capital moved to the city of Meroe. Meroe was further south providing a
better buffer from the fighting with Egypt. It also was a center for ironworking, an
important resource for the kingdom. Similar to Ancient Egypt. The Kingdom of
Kush was very similar to Ancient Egypt in many aspects including government,
culture, and religion. Like the Egyptians, the Kushites built pyramids at burial sites,
worshiped Egyptian gods, and mummified the dead. The ruling class of Kush likely
considered themselves Egyptian in many ways. Nubian Pyramids Source:
Wikimedia Commons Iron and Gold Two of the most important resources of
Ancient Kush were gold and iron. Gold helped Kush to become wealthy as it could
be traded to the Egyptians and other nearby nations. Iron was the most important
metal of the age. It was used to make the strongest tools and weapons. Culture of
Kush Outside of the Pharaoh and the ruling class, the priests were the most
important social class in Kush. They made the laws and communicated with the
gods. Just below the priests were the artisans and scribes. Artisans worked the
iron and gold that was such an important part of the Kushite economy. Farmers
were also respected as they provided the food for the country. At the bottom
were servants, laborers, and slaves. Like the Egyptians, religion played an
important role in the lives of the Kushites. They believed strongly in the afterlife.
Women played an important role and could be leaders in Kush. Many of the
Kushite leaders were queens. Interesting Facts about the Kingdom of Kush In
battle, Kush was famous for its archers and the bow and arrow were often
depicted in the art of Ancient Kush. Sometimes the region was called the "Land of
the Bow" because of its famous archers. One of the most famous leaders of Kush
was Piye who conquered Egypt and became pharaoh of Egypt. Most of the people
of Kush were farmers. Their primary crops were wheat and barley. They also grew
cotton to make clothing. The pyramids of Kush tended to be smaller than the
pyramids of Egypt. The burial chambers were located below the pyramids. Many
of these pyramids were built near the city of Meroe and can still be seen today.
The priests were so powerful they could decide when it was time for the king to
die. People didn't live very long in Kush. The average person was expected to live
only 20 to 25 years. Besides gold and iron, other important trade items included
ivory, slaves, incense, feathers, and wild animal hides.