Chapter 3: Nile Civilizations Section 3 - The Nubian

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Chapter 3 Nile Civilizations
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Section 3 - The Nubian Kingdoms
Main Idea One of ancient Africas most advanced
civilizations, Kush developed along the Nile
south of Egypt in a region called Nubia.

• Focus
• What were the land and people of Nubia like?
• How did Kush grow into a major civilization?
• How did Kushite society change in its later
  period?

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Section 3 - The Nubian Kingdoms
With the collapse of the New Kingdom in the 750s
BC, Piankhi, King of Kush, sent his army north to
crush the Egyptians. He told his troops, It is a
year for making an end, for putting the fear of
me in Lower Egypt, and inflicting on them a great
and severe beating! Within a few years the army
reached the Nile Delta and Piankhi ruled all of
Egypt a foreigner had become Egypts pharaoh
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I. The Region of Nubia

• Extended south of Egypt from first cataract to
  merging of Blue and White Nile

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I. The Region of Nubia

• Nubia had great mineral wealth - gold, granite,
  precious stones

Egyptian wall painting depicting Nubians taking
offerings of gold to Egypt around 1850 BC
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I. The Region of Nubia

• Trade goods from central Africa passed through
  Nubia

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I. The Region of Nubia
Were superb traders, skilled potters, and expert
archers
Libyans, Nubians, Syrians, Egyptians
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I. The Region of Nubia
Egypt conquered much of Nubia during the Middle
Kingdom
Nubians bringing gold to the pharaoh
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II. The Growth of Kush
A powerful Nubian state called Kush began to
develop
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II. The Growth of Kush
1700s BC Kush expanded to rule all Nubia
Statues of soldiers from the Middle Kingdom of
Egypt
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II. The Growth of Kush
Kush was free of Egypts control by 1100 BC
Sphinx of Shepenwepet II, representative of the
Kushite royalty
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II. The Growth of Kush
Piankhi led Kushites north and conquered all of
Egypt
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II. The Growth of Kush
Mid-600s BC, Assyrians pushed Kushites back into
Nubia
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III. Later Kush
Mid-200s BC, Kushites moved their capital south
from Napata to Meroë
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III. Later Kush
Iron became Kushs most valuable product
Iron Ore
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III. Later Kush
AD 200s - Iron trade declined because forests
were destroyed, weakening kingdom AD 350 - Aksum
invaded, destroyed Meroë, and Kushite
civilization faded away
Pyramids of Meroe