African Cultures

One of the great early African civilizations grew up in Nubia (now northern Sudan) in about 2000 BC. Called the kingdom of Kush, it was conquered by Egypt in 1500 BC. Kush, in turn, defeated Egypt in about 728 BC and ruled it for 100 years.

In the 3^rd century BC, the capital of Kush moved to Moroe, on the banks of the river Nile. The city became an important centre of iron-working. Another early centre of iron-working developed in what is now northern Nigeria (in West Africa) about in 600 BC. The people of the region were known as the Nok. Their culture flourished until about AD 200. The Nok mined iron and smelted it in clay furnaces. They used the iron to make tools such as hoes and axes that were used to clear the land for crops.

The Nok also made iron arrowheads, spears and knives, as well as stone tools and distinctive clay figures.

The kingdom of Axum rose to power in the 2^nd century AD. Located in what is now northern Ethiopia, Axum lay on an important trade route and grew rich from buying and selling spices, incense and ivory. Its major trading partners were Arabia. By AD 1000, however, it had collapsed as a new Islamic empire from Arabia expanded its influence.