Kush thrived as an important corridor of trade. Gold, ivory, ebony, and ostrich feath- ers were transported through Nubia. Here caravans hauled goods from the Red Sea to barges on the Nile. In about 1600 B.C. a Nubian trading center on the Nile called
Karmah emerged. Recent archaeological discoveries reveal a rich cultural exchange between Karmah and Egypt. Kush may have traced its roots to the city of Karmah. Over the next few centuries, Kush became a distinct kingdom. The capital of its ruling dynasty was located at Napata, a city that lay upstream along the Nile from Karmah. At first Kush maintained close economic and cultural ties with Egypt. In about 1520 B.C., however, the rulers of Egypt’s New Kingdom brought Nubia and Kush
under their control. For the next 500 years, Kush was governed by the pharaohs. During this time, however, the Nubian kingdom appears to have grown increasingly isolated from Egyptian rule. Many historians believe that in the years between about 1100 B.C. and about 1000 B.C., communication and cultural exchange between Kush
and Egypt diminished. Some 300 years later, in about 710 B.C., Kush conquered Upper
Egypt, and a Kush dynasty ruled a unified Egypt for about 50 years.
The Main Idea
The kingdoms of Kush and Aksum dominated much of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Lion Temple of ancient Kush reflects the kingdom’s power and glory.
In 671 B.C. the Assyrians, armed with iron weapons, invaded Kush, greatly weak-
ening the kingdom. Evidence suggests that about 80 years later, Napata was captured by an Egyptian force. The kingdom of Kush reorganized, however, and a new period of growth and cultural achievement began. The new capital city of Meroë may have been an early center of ironworking in Africa. The region’s fertile soil made Meroë an ideal location for agriculture.
Kush was located across trade routes between the Red Sea and the Nile. Caravans brought cultural influences as well as goods from other peoples. The people of Meroë adapted these to their own culture. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote this descrip- tion of Meroë, based on travelers’ accounts:
“
In twelve days [one] reaches a big city named Meroë, said to be the capital city of the Ethiopians [the inhabitants of the kingdom of Kush]. The inhabitants worship Zeus and Dionysus alone of the gods, holding them in great honor. There is an oracle of Zeus there, and they make war according to its pronouncements [declarations].”
Herodotus, quoted in African Civilization Revisited,by Basil DavidsonSome historians believe that Kush’s civilization reached its height between about 250 B.C. and about A.D. 150. The people of Meroë built impressive pyramids and
temples and crafted beautiful pottery and metal orna- ments. They developed a written form of their language. A period of decline set in, however. Some historians believe the decline occurred because the land lost its fertility. Kush may also have lost control of trade routes as they were taken over by a rival state, Aksum.
READING CHECK: Drawing Inferences What led to the growth of the kingdom of Kush?
Aksum
Aksum lay in the rugged Ethiopian Highlands south of Kush. The kingdom straddled the important trade routes that stretched from the Red Sea into Egypt and the interior of Africa. By about the A.D. 100s, the people
of Aksum had developed an independent kingdom that boasted a thriving ivory trade. As Kush declined, Aksum increasingly competed with it for control of trade in eastern Africa. Aksum sent gold, rhinoceros horns, ivory, incense, and decorative obsidian stone to Mediterranean countries by way of Egypt. The Aksum- ites imported glass, metal ornaments, and pottery, as well as wine and olive oil. Aksum also minted its own coins.
By about A.D. 300 Aksum was a military power. In
about A.D. 350 King ‘E¯z¯an¯aof Aksum conquered Kush.
He set up a thriving kingdom. Like other kings of Aksum,‘E¯z¯an¯a held power over surrounding chiefdoms.
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Evaluating What evidence does Herodotus provide to suggest that the people of Meroë had contact with other peoples and cultures?
The Kingdoms of Kush and Aksum
Interpreting Maps Aksum conquered Kush about A.D. 350.
■ Skills Assessment: Human Systems Through what river cities in Kush would goods be transported? Through what seaport in Aksum would goods be transported?
To evaluate an artifact as historical evidence, determine what the artifact is and what purpose it might have served. If possible, find out who created it and when. Examine the artifact carefully. Study the artifact’s construction and design. Note such things as what material the artifact is made from as well as what tools might have been used to create it. Consider also how the artifact might have been used. Use what you have learned from written sources about the particular people and time period surrounding the artifact to gain a better understanding of the object. Based on your examination of the artifact, as well as other information you have gathered, draw conclusions about the people who created the object or the time period in which it existed.
What do the artifacts show?
Based on these artifacts, do you think that religion was important in Kush? Why or why not?
What other conclusions might you draw about the people of Kush from these artifacts?
Based on your analysis of the artifacts, their materials, and their construction, what conclusions can you draw concerning the level of Kushite technology and craftsmanship?
Choose a group from this chapter and find an artifact from its culture in a book or on the Internet. Write a paragraph describing the artifact and explaining what you think that artifact says about the group.
3 Skills Practice Skills Reminder 189 189 AFRICA