Early African Societies and the Bantu Migrations

CHAPTER 3

I. Early Agricultural Society in AfricaA. Climatic Change and the Development of Agricultural Africa 1. Climatic Change

a. 5000bce northern half of Africa experienced climatic change that effected social organization and agriculture.

b. hotter & drier, many gathered around remaining bodies of water (ex. Lake Chad and Nile River)B. Egypt & Nubia: “Gifts of the Nile”• Agriculture transformed Nile River valley• Est. societies based highly on agriculture, very productive• Because of prosperity = “Gift of the Nile”• Flooded predictably 1. Early Agriculture in the Nile Valley

a. Egypt and Nubia influenced by Mediterranean basin to north and Sub-Saharan to the south since the Nile links the two regions

Nile Valley 3000-2000bceAnd Nubia

I. Early Agricultural Society in Africa cont’d

b. both relied heavily on agriculture esp. in the flood plains in late summer.c. Demographic pressure forced Egyptians to find a more intense and sophisticated form of agriculture. (they were outside the floodplains) 2. Political Organizationa. created states b. recognized official authorityc. maintain orderC. The Unification of Egypt 3. Menesa. Ruler Menes unifies territories between the Nile delta and the river’s first cataractb. centralized state ruled by pharaoh (Egyptian king)c. Pharaoh’s claimed they were gods living on Earth=Theocracy ; owners & absolute rulers of all land.

Egyptian painting on tombOf Agriculture

Pharoah MenesPreparing to sacrificeAn enemy

I. Early Agricultural Society in Africa cont’d

d. a human sun overseeing affairs 2. The Archaic Period and the Old Kingdom

a. great power during 1st millenia (3100-2660) (2660-2160)

b. massive pyramids c. Khufu largest pyramidd. ability to marshal Egyptian resources

3. Relations between Egypt and Nubiaa. Interests in Nubia: political & commercialb. Wary of Nubian kingdoms threat to Upper Egyptc. desired products: gold, ivory, ebony, precious

stonesd. Nubian interests in Egypt: protect their

independence, control trade down the Nile

Nubian Mercenary NenuServing in Egyptian army w/Egyptian wife and two sons

I. Early Agricultural Society in Africa cont’d 4. The Early Kingdom of Kush

a. Violence between Egypt and Nubia led to Nubian leaders organizing farther South in Upper Nubia.

b. By 2500 bce they est. the kingdom of Kushc. Even though there were tensions both sought political diplomacies, alliances w/ each other and commercial

relationships.d. Mercenaries prominent in Old Kingdom, married

Egyptian women, assimilated to Egyptian life.D. Turmoil and Empire 1. Hyskos

a. Old Kingdom declines, unsettling changeb. Hyskos (“foreign rulers”) enter; horse riding nomadsc. introduced horse drawn chariots

I. Early Agricultural Society in Africa cont’d

d. Hyskos provoked strong reaction from Egyptian nobles whom revolted.e. Used their own weapons against themf. New Egyptian kingdom began called the New Kingdom

2. The New Kingdoma. Prosperous, productive, agricultural surplus, large

population.b. army, bureaucracy, religious cults

3. Egyptian Imperialisma. Worked to extend authority beyond the Nileb. Seized regions they thought may threaten themc. dominated coastal regions of Mediterranean & N. Africad. Local resistance drove Egyptians out of Nubia, SW Asia.

Invasions from Assyrian.

II. The Formation of Complex Societies and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions• Specialized labor in agricultural societies• Social classes• Patriarchal societies• Egypt center of trade, linked lands in SW Asia, E Mediterranean, & Sub-Sahara

Africa• Writing Systems

A. Emergence of Cities and Stratified Societies 1. Cities of the Nile Valley: Egypt

a. Major cities emerged and guided Egypt (ex. Memphis, Meroe, Tanis, Heliopolis) 2. Cities of the Nile Valley: Nubia

a. power struggle between Kingdoms of Egypt and Nubia for this city.b. capital Napatac. agriculture required extensive preparation of soild. at one point conquered Egypte. used the title of Pharaohf. warred with Assyrians

Egyptian painting of pyramid building

II. The Formation of Complex Societies and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d 3. Social Classes

a. wealth = social distinctionb. peasants & slaves=hard laborc. Pharaoh=supreme rulerd. Military forces, bureaucracy of administrators,

tax collectors 4. Patriarchal Society

a. men authority in public and private affairsb. women=domestic work unless upper elitec. elite men=scribes, gov’t officialsd. lower class men=agricultural laborers, potters,

carpenters, craftsmen, fishermen

II. The Formation of Complex Societies and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d 5. Women’s Influence in Egypt and Nubia

a. influence policyb. plots to manipulate affairsc. Nubia had many more women rulers than Egyptd. Nubian women ruled out right or jointlye. priestess

B. Economic Specialization and Trade• Specialized labor and efficient transportation developed

trade networks 1. Iron Metallurgy

a. Large scale production of ironb. spread through Sub-Saharan Africac. eventually became displaced by bronze metallurgy

II. The Formation of Complex Societies and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d 2. Transportation

a. sailed beyond the Nile into the Mediterraneanb. explored the waters of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, &

Western portion of the Arabian Sea. 3. Trade Networks

a. specialized labor & efficient transportation encouraged the development of long distance trade.

b. traded north and south, traded with MesopotamiaC. Early Writing in the Nile Valley 1. Hieroglyphic Writing

a. Early Egyptian writing was pictographic (pictures)b. used for literature and religious textc. Hieratic Script simplified version of hieroglyphicsd. Also included Demotic and Coptic scripts

Ancient Egyptian Ships

II. The Formation of Complex Societies and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d 2. Education

a. Formal education & literature brought rewardsC. The Development of Organized Religious Traditions 1. Amon & Re

a. played prominent rolesb. Amon-sun, fertility, creation, & reproductive forcesc. Re- sun god

2. Aten & Monotheisma. Amon-Re threatened by a monotheistic god, Atenb. pharaoh Amenhotep believed in this one god

3. Mummificationa. death not an end but a transition to new dimension of existence. b. believed only ruling elites would survive, but others merited

posthumous honor. c. continued mummification and pyramids because of the belief in an afterlife.

II. The Formation of Complex Societies and Sophisticated Cultural Traditions cont’d 4. Cult of Osiris

a. Legend has it: Osiris’ evil brother murdered him and scattered his parts throughout the land

b. Wife Isis retrieves his parts and gives proper burial & restored Osiris to life

c. Many associated Osiris with the Nile (flooding retreating flooding)

d. those who followed the cult wished for eternal reward if they lived a high standard of life. 5. Nubian religious beliefs

a. Apedemak-lion god, served as a war godb. Sebiume-creator god and divine guardian of human devotees.c. built pyramidsd. recognized Egyptian Godse. did not mummify their dead

Egyptian Painting of Osiris receiving a recently deceased and The weighing of the heart

III. Bantu Migrations and Early Agricultural Societies of Sub-Saharan AfricaA. The Dynamics of Bantu Expansion 1. The Bantu

a. Bantu from Eastern part of modern Nigeriab. Bantu means “persons” & “people”c. Settled along rivers, navigated in canoes and in forestsd. clan based villages head by chiefs who conducted

rituals and represented their communities to neighborse. traded with hunting and gathering peoples in forestsf. placed pressure on forest dwellers to move inland

2. Bantu Migrationsa. eager to migrate to new territoriesb. some stayed in their original area while others moved developing new languages (over 500 languages)

Bantu Migrations Map 2000bce-500ce

III. Bantu Migrations and Early Agricultural Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa cont’d

c. Bantu migrations were intermittent and incrementald. occupied most of Africa south of the equatore. population pressures drove migrations and new settlements

3. Iron & Migrationa. produced iron tools & weapons, led to expansion and protection

B. Early Agricultural Societies of Sub-Saharan Africa• Others migrated besides the Bantu’s 1. Spread of Agriculture

a. extremely important in terms of the effects of migration in Sub-Saharan Africa

b. were herders alsoc. cultivated yams, oil palms and sorghum

2. Religious Beliefsa. Bantu’s were monotheisticb. Sudanic peoples also recognized a single god who was the source

of good and evil