Research+for+the+Decline+of+Kush

=__Research Notes__=

Ancient Africa's Black Kingdoms. Ed. Myra Wysinger. <[]>. __**Events and Leaders**__ -Egypt destroys city of Kerma -King Kashta of Kush conquers Southern Egyptian city Thebes (around 750 BCE ) -daughter Armenirdis made priestess of Amon -sons (Piankhy and Shabako) threw out northern Egypt’s Libyan rulers and declared them selves kings of Egypt -This period called Egypt’s Twenty-fifth Dynasty -King Taharqa ruled 699-663 BCE -Assyrians attacked Egypt (671 BCE) -Taharqa driven back to Kush -Taharqa’s nephew Tanwetamani retook Egypt -Assyrians returned with King Ashurbanipal -end to Twenty-fifth Dynasty -Egyptians attacked Napata (591 BCE ) -King Aspelta moved Kush capital to Meroe -Persian King Cambyses sends spies to Meroe -King Arakakamani (around 280 BCE ) killed priest at Amon temple -moved Kush religious capital from Napata to Meroe -Treaty of Samos between Rome and Kush -prosperous reign of Netakamani and Amanitar -King Ezana of Axum conquers Meroe -Cattle very important in lives of Kushites -buried their dead with cattle skulls and clay models of cattle -placed stone pillars with cattle carved onto them near graves -wealth shown in gold, objects also in number of cattle owned -if ruler died up to 100 cattle would be slaughtered and buried with deceased ruler -along river Kushites raised crops of millet, vegetables dates and cotton -During Napatan period (800-591 BCE) wasn't enough good grazing land to support amount of cattle Kush wanted -Milk, dairy and beef were valued in daily diet -Milk and dairy also used in religious ceremonies -Inheritance passed through women (heir to throne of Kush was often son of king's mother or sister) -common for Queens to rule with equal power to their sons and husbands -Kings and Queens as rulers -Kush controlled gold mines - controlled land routes for African goods going to Egypt -Kush had many gods -Lion god important in Meroe -At Meroe temples built for lion warrior god Apedemark -believe King was a god (one with hawk god Horus) -Kushites believed in goddess of balance and order (Ma’at) -Amon was state god of Kush -believed in afterlife similar to Egyptians (no mummies though) -a boy in Meroe would live in mud brick house -don’t wear much -by six father’s apprentice (often as potter) -as teen start working -as adult take over business, take children hunting, etc. -a girl in Meroe would live in mud brick house -by six dress in robe -learn to cook, make pottery -as teen look for husband -as adult get married, have family -In art men and women depicted as stockier than in Egypt -unlike in Egypt bigger was considered beautiful -many types of pottery used, handmade and wheel-made -the early African settlers in the Nile Valley made pottery by coiling up rolls of clay, rubbing the surface smooth, then decorating the vessel with scratches or jabs -when the potter’s wheel was introduced finer pottery became a profession -men became professional potters (women too busy with household tasks) and their pottery was sold or traded -During Napatan times the official language was Egyptian -When capital was moved to Meroe new hieroglyphic and cursive writing systems were developed and used for writing Meroitic -writing can be pronounced but not understood -wealthier people used hard fire-brick and others used bricks made from sun-baked mud -homes had several rooms -roofs were flat and were supported by beams of palm or acacia trees -royalty lived in buildings made of stone or fire-brick -that area of town was surrounded by stone wall and may have been built on a small island before river channels shifted -There also was a public bathhouse made in Roman style with Roman style statues -Kushite herdsmen lived in beehive-shaped huts that could be taken down and moved quickly -the huts were covered by animal skins and some had ostrich eggs placed on huts (possibly for luck) -depictions of theses huts found in temple in Meroe, at the Amon temple at Jebel Barkal, near Napata, and on a bronze bowl from Karanog in Meroitic Nubia Service, Pamela F. __The Ancient African Kingdom of Kush__. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1998.
 * __ Socio-Political Structure __**
 * __ Art, Literature and Music __**
 * -**most people lived in rectangular brick homes

(Service, p.29) Ancient Africa's Black Kingdoms. Ed. Myra Wysinger. <[]>.

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