The powerful African kingdom named Kush (or Cush) flourished in the ancient region of Nubia, which occupied much of what is now the nation of Sudan. Kush began as a colony of the mighty Egyptian empire. Eventually it rose to rule over Egypt and much of the Nile River valley. Before falling to invaders in the 4th century AD, the people of Kush created a prosperous and thriving empire that combined both Egyptian and African cultures.

People and culture

The inhabitants of Kush, called Kushites, were black Africans. A king and his royal court presided over the empire. Most residents of Kush were farmers, but there was also a middle class of craftsmen, traders, and minor officials. Occupying the lowest position in Kush society were slaves, who were prisoners of war.

Although influenced greatly by Egypt, the culture of Kush was unique. The Kushites developed their own language. First they used Egyptian hieroglyphics, but later they adopted their own hieroglyphics and then a cursive script. The Kushites worshiped Egyptian gods but did not abandon their own. They buried their kings in pyramids but not in the Egyptian way.

Economy

Kush became a prosperous and influential kingdom for two main reasons: its natural resources and its location. Kush occupied a land rich with precious minerals, especially gold. Gold and other valuable stones were mined throughout Kush. They were either exported (sold abroad) or used to make elaborate pottery, jewelry, and other luxury items. The kingdom also had rich farmland, which helped to feed its population.

Kush's position along the trade routes from Egypt to the Red Sea and from the Nile River to the south and west brought wealth from far-off places. Along with gold, the kingdom's main exports included incense, ivory, ebony, oils, ostrich feathers, and leopard skins. When Egypt's strength declined, Kush seized greater control of the region's trading networks, which increased the empire's wealth.

History

Egypt ruled over Nubia for many centuries. During the 15th century BC Egypt divided the territory into two parts: Wawat in the north and Kush in the south. Many Egyptian officials, traders, and priests lived in Kush. However, the Nubians continued to preserve their own distinct traditions, customs, and crafts. Thus the culture of Kush was created by both Egyptian and African peoples.

At the close of the 11th century BC Egypt's power declined, leaving the leaders of Kush as independent kings. Soon the Kush rulers looked to become conquerors themselves. During the 8th century BC the Kushite king Kashta and his son Piye brought all of Egypt under their control.

As a world power, however, Kush was not to last. In the 7th century BC the Assyrians—a powerful and warlike group from Asia—invaded Egypt. With their superior iron weapons, the Assyrians drove the Kushites back to Nubia and the safety of their capital, Napata.

Although reduced from a great power to an isolated kingdom, Kush continued to rule over the middle Nile for another thousand years. Shortly after their retreat from Egypt, the Kushites moved their capital from Napata southward to Meroe. There the kingdom was exposed to long-established African cultures at the same time that its ties with Egypt were quickly disappearing. The rest of the history of Kush is one of gradual decline, ending with its final defeat in AD 350 by the king of Aksum. He came down from the Ethiopian highlands and destroyed Meroe and surrounding villages.