The Kingdom of Kush

The Kingdom of Kush was an ancient land in Africa. It was located in what is now Sudan, just south of Egypt. The Kushites lived along the Nile River. They had their own kings, gods, and writing. Kush even ruled Egypt for almost 100 years.

Black Pharaohs

About 2,700 years ago, Kushite kings marched north and took over Egypt. They became the pharaohs of Egypt. People call them the Black Pharaohs. They ruled both Egypt and Kush at the same time. They built temples and brought back old Egyptian ways.

The City of Meroe

Later, the Kush capital moved to a city called Meroe. There, the Kushites built many small, steep pyramids. Kush had more pyramids than Egypt does. The people of Meroe made iron tools and weapons. They also had their own writing called Meroitic, which still has not been fully read.

Fun Facts

• Kush has over 200 pyramids, which is more than Egypt has.
• The Kush pyramids are smaller and steeper than Egyptian ones.
• Kushite queens were called Kandakes and were very powerful.

Did You Know?

The Kingdom of Kush lasted for more than 1,000 years, longer than ancient Rome did.