Ancient Nubia
3-5
In your notes, look for the
following:
 What these Kingdoms known for?
 Kerma
 Napata
 Meroe
 What happened to the Napatan rule of
Egypt?
 What was Meroe’s source of wealth?
 Why was Nubia called the land of the
bow?
Relations with Egypt
 Located south of Egypt
 Had peaceful, friendly relations
 Called Ta Sety, “land of the
bow”
 Many Nubian archers were
hired for Egypt’s army
 Valued for rich minerals
 Nubia was a bridge for goods
between Central Africa & Egypt
 Nubian kingdoms rivaled Egypt
for power
Kerma
 Kushite kingdom centered at
3rd cataract
 c. 1600 B.C.- expanded into
southern Egypt
 Culture lasted from c.2000 –
1500 B.C.
 Became rich by controlling
trade between Central Africa &
Egypt
 Had pottery artisans
 After 50 yr. war, Egypt ruled
 Adopted many Egyptian ways
Napata
 c. 700 B.C.- Kushites rose to
power again; centered
kingdom in Napata
 Eventually took control of all of
Egypt
 Pharaohs of Egypt’s 25th
dynasty were Nubians
 Napatan kings brought back
old Egyptian ways
 Built pyramids to bury their kings
 Rule of the Napatan kings
ended c. 660 B.C.
Meroe
 Nubians moved south and
founded a court in Meroe
 Became center of Empire
that stretched into Central
Africa
 Made tools and weapons
out of iron
 Allowed them to control
trade routes
 Created own hieroglyphs
 Weakened in A.D. 200s