Research+for+the+Rise+of+the+Kush

=Reseach for the Rise of the Kush= = **//__ A. Climate and Geographic Factors __//**= [] -Nubia-land of Kush- Afican region south of Egypt -lower (northern Kush, downstream), upper (southern Kush, upstream) -lived along Nile -southern-moist climate [] -floodplain narrower than Egypt -northern Nubia/Kush desert- noting grows b/c no rain -southward, occasional summer rains- grasses, trees -central- summer rains more heavy- forests of gum & acacias trees -riverbed of Nile narrow, rocky -hot, dry, rainless through year -rains in central Africa cause Nile to flood -rainstorms mid. June- end of Sept. -strong winds and dust stroms “habodos” The Eastern Desert in Nubia []

[] -along Nile- falcons, goose, crane, heron, plover, pigeons,ibis, vulture, owl, crocodiles, dogs & cats -Nubia land of natural resources – ex, gold mines, ebony, ivory [] -sandy plains, few hills -outside Nile valley: deserts- empty of humans, animals, and plants -nearer river small animals: rabbits, gazelles, birds, & hyenas -small population -acacia trees grew in Wadis [] -temperatures reach to 100 degrees from May to Sept. -overnight- drop close to freesing -North-little rain -South of North Dongola- rain season July &August -winds blow from North -besides near Nile, poor soil -can’t support large pop.

**//__ B. Economy and Agriculture __//**
[] -produce based on irrigated floodplain agriculture -land beside Nile too narrow to support large population -smelting and making iron tools was an industrial craft. -Meroitic kings controlled trade [] -elephant tusks important to Nubian economy and trade -rich with gold and copper -bronze imported from Egypt to make daggers & swords -oil most imported The Nile River and fertile, lush land beside the river. [] Map of where Kush is in Africa. [] [] -income from natural sources: gold, copper, and diorite stones -metal introduced before 3000 BCE [] -trade important to Kush -ports on Red Sea -free access to Mediterranean and Nile River through trade agreement with Egypt -Egyptians depended on iron, gold, ebony, and incense from Kush -Kush imported cotton from Egypt [] -produced only one crop per year -major crops were wheat, barley, millet, and various fruits and vegetables -Date palms grew and were highly prized elsewhere in the ancient world -were exported to Egypt and were the major cash crop of the region -animal husbandry was as important as agriculture -Gold mining was important industry in eastern deserts -The ivory, skins, and slaves that entered Egypt passed through Kush - semi-precious stones were mined both sides of the Nile, and the acacia trees used for timber and charcoal. = Daily Life of the Nubians = =  =  Bianchi, Robert. __Daily Life of the Nubians.__ New York: Greenwood Press, 2004 //Nubian-Egyptian Trade and agriculture// -traded with Egyptians for beer, wine, oils, and cereals -received copper weapons and tools from Egypt -Nubians exploited Eastern desert for semiprecious stones and resources from Red Sea -contact with Greek resulted in new crops such as cotton -dates palms limited to royal gardens -extensive cultivation of grapes and industry of wine making -oxen, sheep, goats, and horses were bred but little evidence of camel use -bones of domesticated and wild animals suggests hunting coexisted with fishing -grinding stones suggest ever-expanding agricultural basis -seed planted in fall before winter rains, after Nile flooded banks -after water receded, need to wait for next year -invention of shaduf (water lift) in 1600 B.C.E & sagia (ox-driven water-wheel), farm irrigated in dry season = The Nubian Past = = = Edwards, David. __The Nubian Past.__ USA: Route-ledge Ltd, 2005.

// Subsistence, Technology, and Agriculture //
-iron technology appeared first millennium B.C.E -indigenous tropical crops: sorghum and millets, center of agriculture -fishing to survive was required in the clay plains of the Upper Nile

-wheat is cultivated in the north -beans such as cowpea are grown -cultivated barley by the fifth millennium B.C.E
= //__B. Industrial and Artistic Technology __// //__[]__// = ==== The Kush made pottery with many different techniques and in different styles. ==== = Daily Life of the Nubians = = Bianchi, Robert. __Daily Life of the Nubians.__ New York: Greenwood Press, 2004. =

**// Pottery vessels of the Nubians //**
-hand made with coarse, unpolished surfaces -displays creativity -characterized as wavy-lined -parallel lines were carved into the vessel by pressing and dragging a tool (ex. spine of fish) -combinations of wavy and parallel with dots and dashes made by pointy stick or bone -later more techniques such as imprinting geometric designs with shells was introduced -vessels of later date suggest a degree of polish -blackened surfaces indicate the their use as cooking vessels -occasional scratched and dotted patterns as well as triangles and meander patterns

**// Baked Clay Figurines //**
-female figurines were popular made of fired clay and more rarely of sandstone -formal abstractions which barely reveal gender -placed into tomb to accompany deceased -ticking on the figurines is thought to represent tattooing -some figures have flattened heads with heavy tripartite hair or wigs -such objects are hand-molded clay -these baked clay artifacts are characterized by their small breasts, wide hips and small waists Women figurines were all done in the same popular shape: small waist, wide hips, and small feet []

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= The Ancient African Kingdom of Kush = = = Service, Pamela. __The Ancient African Kingdom of Kush.__ Tarrytown, New York : Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1998.

//pottery// = -most common item found by archeologists in Moroe = = -coiling up rolls of clay, rubbing surface smooth, and decorating the vesselwith scratches and jabs =

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-when use of potters wheel was introduced, finer pottery making became profession  The Kush made pottery with many different techniques and in different styles. =====

-some patterns inspired by Egyptian or Roman ideas
-some original designs of animals and people =**// Metalwork //**= = -skilled craftsmen = -use Egyptian theme with own sense of design

-made bracelets, earrings, necklaces etc.
-popular theme in bracelets were goddesses -used geometrical shapes in design (triangles, circles, squares) = = =[] = = =

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