THE KINGDOM OF KUSH (NUBIA)

The Kingdom of Kush (Nubia) 𓎡𓄿𓈙𓈉 was an ancient kingdom of Nubia, centered along the Nile Valley in what is now northern Sudan and southern Egypt.

The region of Nubia was an early cradle of civilization, producing several complex societies that engaged in trade and industry.

The Kingdom of Kush lasted for over 1400 years. It was first established around 1070 BCE when it gained its independence from Ancient Egypt (Kemet). It quickly became a major power in Northeast Africa. In 727 BCE, Kush took control of Egypt and ruled until the Assyrians arrived.

The kingdom began to weaken after Rome conquered Egypt and eventually collapsed sometime in the 300s CE. Like the Egyptians, religion played an important role in the lives of the Kushites. They believed strongly in the afterlife.

The Kemites were the first to identify Kerma as “Kush", and over the next several centuries the two civilizations engaged in intermittent warfare, trade, and cultural exchange, Kushites also built burial mounds and pyramids, sharing some of the gods worshiped in Ancient Egypt.

Based on engraved plans of Meroitic King Amanikhabali's pyramids, Nubians had a sophisticated understanding of mathematics as they appreciated the harmonic ratio. The ancient Nubians also established a system of geometry which they used in creating early versions of sun clocks.

During the Bronze age, Nubian ancestors of the Kingdom of Kush built speos between 3700 to 3250 BCE. This greatly influenced the architecture of the New kingdom.

They built over 225 pyramids.

They built a stone paved road at Jebel Barkal and many wells.

In battle, Kush was famous for its archers and the bow and arrow were often depicted in the art of Ancient Kush. Sometimes the region was called the "Land of the Bow" because of its famous archers. Women played an important role by being leaders in Kush Many of them were Queens.

One of the most famous leaders of Kush was Piye who conquered the whole Egypt and became pharaoh of Egypt meanwhile the priests of the Kushites were so powerful they could decide when it was time for the king to die.

Most of the people of Kush were farmers. Their primary crops were wheat and barley. They also grew cotton to make clothing. Besides gold and iron, other important trade items included ivory, incense, feathers, and wild animal hides.

The pyramids of Kush tended to be smaller than the pyramids of Egypt. The burial chambers were located below the pyramids. Many of these pyramids were built near the city of Meroe and can still be seen today.

Jewelry found on the Mummy of Nubian King Amaninatakilebte (538-519 BCE), Nuri pyramid 

And Gold flower shaped diadem, found in the Pyramid of King Talakhamani (435–431 BCE), Nuri pyramid 16. All in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.