1. Early African Societies and the Bantu Migrations
Chapter 3
Early African Societies and the Bantu Migrations
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2. Development of Agriculture in Africa
Sahara desert originally highly fertile region
Small-scale states developed from increased agricultural productivity
Eastern Sudan
After 9000 B.C.E., domestication of cattle; later, permanent settlements, cultivation of sorghum
Western Sudan after about 8000 B.C.E.
After 8000 B.C.E., cultivation of yams; later, arrival of sheep and goats, cultivation of gourds, watermelon, cotton
Desiccation of the Sahara ca B.C.E.
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3. The Nile River Valley Gradual, predictable flooding
Alluvial deposits supported productive agricultural society
Egypt and Nubia: “gifts of the Nile”
As Sahara became increasingly arid, cultivators flocked to Nile valley
Productivity in Egypt allowed for larger population
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4. The Nile Valley, 3000–2000 B.C.E.
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5. Early Agriculture in the Nile Valley
10,000 B.C.E., migrants from Red Sea hills (northern Ethiopia)
Introduced collection of wild grains, language roots of Coptic
5000 B.C.E. Sudanic cultivators, herders migrated to Nile River valley
Adaptation to seasonal flooding of Nile through construction of dikes, waterways
Villages dotted Nile by 4000 B.C.E.
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6. Political Organization
As in Mesopotamia, need for formal organization of public affairs
Need to maintain order and organize community projects
Rural rather than heavily urban development
Trade networks developed
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7. The Unification of Egypt
Tradition suggests conqueror Menes unified Egyptian kingdom ca. 3100
Sometimes identified with Narmer
Founder of Memphis, cultural and political center of ancient Egypt
Instituted divine rule of pharaohs
Absolute rulers
Royal servants buried with them as late as 2600 B.C.E.
Most powerful during Archaic Period (3100–2660 B.C.E.) and Old Kingdom (2660–2160 B.C.E.)
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8. The Archaic Period and the Old Kingdom
Pyramids: symbols of pharaoh’s authority and divine status
Testimony to pharaohs’ ability to marshal Egypt’s resources
Largest: Khufu (Cheops), 2.3 million limestone blocks, average weight 2.5 tons
Role: burial chambers for pharaohs
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9. Relations between Egypt and Nubia
Competition over Nile trade
Military conflict between 3100 and 2600 B.C.E.
Drove Nubians to the south
Established kingdom of Kush, ca B.C.E.
Trade, cultural influences continued despite military conflict
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10. The New Kingdom
Engaged in empire-building to protect against foreign invasion
The Hyksos
Major monumental architectural projects
After New Kingdom, local resistance drove Egypt out of Nubia
Kingdom of Kush revived ca B.C.E.
Invasions of Kushites, Assyrians destroyed Egypt, mid-sixth century B.C.E.
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11. Imperial Egypt, 1400 B.C.E.
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12. The Emergence of Cities
Major cities along Nile River, especially at delta
Memphis ca B.C.E.; Heliopolis ca B.C.E.
Nubian cities included Kerma, Napata, Meroë
Located at cataracts of the Nile
Well-defined social classes
Pharaohs to slaves
Archaeological discoveries in Nubia also support class-based society
Patriarchal societies, with notable exception: female pharaoh Hatshepsut (r. 1473–1458 B.C.E.)
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13. Economic Specialization and Trade
Bronze metallurgy introduced late, with Hyksos invasion
Development of iron early, ca. 900 B.C.E.
Transportation and trade along Nile River
More difficult in Nubia due to cataracts
Development of trade networks
Maritime trade in Mediterranean
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14. Early Writing in the Nile Valley
Writing appeared at least by 3200 B.C.E.
Hieroglyphs: “holy inscriptions”
Pictographic, with symbols for sounds, ideas
Monuments, buildings, sheets of papyrus
Hieroglyphs for formal writing, hieratic script for everyday affairs from 2600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E.
Greek alphabet adopted—demotic and Coptic scripts
Meroitic writing: flexible system borrowed from hieroglyphs, represents sounds rather than ideas
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15. The Development of Organized Religious Traditions
Principal gods Amon and Re
Religious tumult under Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten, r. 1353–1335 B.C.E.)
Introduced sole worship of sun god Aten
One of world’s earliest expressions of monotheism
After death of Akhenaten, traditional priests restored cult of Amon-Re to privileged status
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16. Mummification and the Afterlife
Belief that death a transition to new existence
First, ruling classes only; later, eternal life seen as available to normal mortals as well
Cult of Osiris
God of the underworld
Power to determine who deserved immortality
Held out hope of eternal reward for those who lived moral lives
Nubian worship of Apedemak and Sebiumeker
Show second clip from Ancient Egypt, Sphinx through mummification
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17. The Bantu Migrations Bantu: “people”
Migration throughout sub-Saharan regions, 3000–1000 B.C.E.
Population pressures
Today, more than 90 million speak Bantu languages
By 1000 C.E., occupied most of Africa south of the equator
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18. Bantu Migrations, 2000 B.C.E.–1000 C.E.
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19. Early Agricultural Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa
Several smaller migrations: Kushite; Sudanese
Mande-speaking peoples; Niger-Congo languages
Agricultural societies established
Communities of a few hundred, led by chiefs
Varied and changing religious beliefs
Evidence of early monotheism
Deistic views as well
Prayers to intercessors, e.g. ancestor spirits
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