Embedded Files
Ancient Egypt and Kush:
Ancient Egypt and Kush:
Ancient Egypt controlled the area of Kush for hundreds of years. As a result, civilization in the Kingdom of Kush was greatly influenced by Egyptian culture. Kush adopted many Ancient Egyptian customs, including religion, hieroglyphs, and architecture. The tables later turned when the Kingdom of Kush conquered Ancient Egypt in the 700's BCE. This power shift allowed Kush to influence Ancient Egyptian culture in turn.
Nubia and the Land of Kush:
Nubia and the Land of Kush:
Build on What You Know: Have you ever traveled on a river or visited a river town? We know that the Egyptians and Mesopotamians built their civilizations on waterways. The Ancient Egyptians lived downstream on the lower, or northern, end of the Nile River. Nubian cultures developed to the southern end of the Nile.
Nubia (NOO•bee•uh) is the name for a specific geographic region of Africa. Nubia extended from the southern boundary of Egypt southward and included the area of present-day Sudan. Its southern border was south of the Nile River's sixth cataract.
Upper and Lower Nubia Like Egypt, Nubia was divided into upper (southern, upstream) and lower (northern, downstream) areas. Like the Egyptians, the people of Nubia lived along the Nile. However, unlike in Egypt, a climate that provided more regular rainfall meant that farming was not limited to the Nile valley in southern Nubia.
Relationship Between Ancient Egypt and Nubia:
As we have seen, Nubia had a strong influence on Ancient Egypt. For example, some scholars believe Nubia's monarchy was the earliest in human history. It is thought that the Nubian idea of monarchy was a significant influence behind the development of Egypt's ruling class and the creation of the Pharaoh.
When Egypt ruled Nubia during the Middle Kingdom, the Egyptian pharaoh appointed an official to govern the region, ensuring a close connection between the two. This contact with Ancient Egypt resulted in cultural exchanges as well as economic ones. From this connection, Ancient Egypt influenced the Nubian region's art and architecture, including Kush's emerging kingdom. Nubians also worshiped some of the gods sacred to Egyptians.
Egypt controlled parts of Nubia between 2000 and 1000 BCE. As we learned, Nubia was a vital source of trade for Ancient Egypt. However, as Ancient Egyptian civilization declined, a Nubian kingdom called Kush rose to take its place as the region's power.
Nubian Tribute
Nubian Tribute
Although Kush and Egypt consistently exchanged culture, they maintained distinct identities. In Egyptian art, as in the Tomb of Huy above, Kushites are depicted with darker skin and a distinct cropped hairstyle.
Meroitic Pyramids
Meroitic Pyramids
The final period of the Kingdom of Kush is sometimes known as the Meroitic period, after its capital at Meroë. The most significant and striking artifacts of Meroitic culture are probably its pyramids. Meroitic pyramids, smaller and steeper and their older Egyptian cousins, are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
PHOTOGRAPH BY FABRIZIO DEMARTIS, COURTESY WIKIMEDIA. CC-BY-SA-2.0
Kushite Pharaoh
Kushite Pharaoh
Taharqa and other Kushite pharaohs (like the one depicted in the figurine above) modified the distinctive Uraeus (upright cobra) on pharaonic headdresses. Instead of one snake, the double-Uraeus features two cobras, probably symbolizing Egypt and Kush.
Nubia and Kush
Nubia and Kush
The legendary Kingdom of Kush, with its capitals in what is now northern Sudan, helped define the cultural and political landscape of northeastern Africa for more than a thousand years. Kush was a part of Nubia, which stretched from the Upper Nile to the Red Sea.
Page updated
Report abuse