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The Kingdom of Kush: A proper introduction [Illustrated]


Sundiata
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The top, horizontal horns on the crown, represent ram's horns, but it's part of the crown, so it could either be grey'ish or gold, like the rest of the crown.. So whatever you think is best.

It's a horned ram, with a ram's horn crown...

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The Kingdom of Kush: A Kingdom of Bronze! 

Boston Museum of Fine Arts collection 

This is the second, in a series of selected Kushite artefacts from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The first post of this series, can be seen in A Kingdom of Gold! This time I will highlight a selection of fine Meroitic period bronze objects from Kush, illustrating their age-old craftsmanship in this copper and tin alloy. Bronze was primarily used to create all sorts of vessels, like cups, bowls, vases and kettles, as wel as a large variety of other house-hold objects like mirrors, eating utensils, and even weapons, statues and other decorations. Bronze had been used by the Kushites since the third millennium BC during the Kerma period, and continued to be used well past the decline of Meroitic Kush. As with their gold-working, Kushite metallurgical skills are clearly demonstrated in this selection of bronze objects.  

 

Meroitic period Bronze from Kush:

Spoiler

 

Bronze cups and bowls

59881fda64be9_Bronzebowlsandvesselsmeroitickush.thumb.jpg.0f0b166732b504ae9078f4631849f8ac.jpg

59881ff407233_Meroitickushbronzevesselscup.thumb.jpg.b0e2679d119cb36cca375a50cb94eb1e.jpg

 

 

Bronze vessels

59881fe5cc15b_Bronzevesselsmeroitickush.thumb.jpg.825f393fa226a87319b26e7676029eb5.jpg

 

 

Bronze kettle, cup with spout and broad-rimmed cup with broken handle

59881fdf8262e_Bronzevesselsandbowlsmeroitickush2.thumb.jpg.551a4d95b1c053b2c718e90ea50a5da2.jpg

 

 

Bronze vases, one of which has a female figurine shaped in to the handle

59881ffa2169b_MeroiticperiodbronzejugsKush.thumb.jpg.7d8ce9431c908335594aa7e35d49abbb.jpg

 

 

Bronze bells, some of which seem to have been attached to elaborate horse harnesses. 

59881fce29e99_Bronzebellsmeroitickush.thumb.jpg.fb83602663316af66e704e6eea9510ed.jpg

59881fd43d36e_Bronzebellsmeroitickush2.thumb.jpg.414e1cb726b5179a151c313b55c531af.jpg

 

 

Bronze statuette of a Kushite ruler, a bird and the lid of a kettle with chain still attached

59881fff2e716_Meroiticroyalbirdlidofvesselmeroiticbronzekush.thumb.jpg.c5b5d47177a9fb156258ebdbfe0ebcac.jpg

 

 

Bronze (and silver?) mirrors. They would have been polished to such a shine you'd see a clear reflection.

59881fc6db352_BronzeandorsilvermirrorsmeroiticKush.thumb.jpg.246b33eeab5721945d595198c3c636d9.jpg

 

 

On the left is the bronze head of a captive. One a few, found nailed to flag-staffs. If/when a battalion system is implemented in 0AD, this would be useful for the standard bearer. In the middle is a plume holder in the form of a falcon wearing the double crown. On the right is a bronze sheet for a staff. 

59881feb9307e_Headofcaptivenailedtoflaggstaffplumeholderinformoffalconwithdoublecrownsheethforstaffmeroiticbronzekush.thumb.jpg.8d748014a4dbcb03f144af4aaa27aaca.jpg

 

 

 

The source for all Meroitic period, Kushite bronze in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston:

 http://www.mfa.org/search?search_api_views_fulltext=meroitic+bronze

Edited by Sundiata
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The Kingdom of Kush:

A Kingdom of exquisite pottery, fine beads and blue glazed faience

Boston Museum of Fine Arts collection

 

The third in a series of selected Kushite artefacts from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. See here for A Kingdom of Gold , and here for A Kingdom of Bronze

Here I present a selection of beautiful fine ceramics, beads and blue glazed faience amulets from the Meroitic period. These things are found quite abundantly in Kushite archaeological sites, and once again attest to the level of craftsmanship reached by the people of ancient Kush:

Spoiler

 

Meroitic Pottery:

Large and small cups, bowls, and jars

598987475ef48_KushitepotteryMeroitic.thumb.jpg.8821a66e19b7125d83820cf3d1a96053.jpg

5989874e68b79_KushitepotteryMeroitic2.thumb.jpg.49bd3ba90b9f0d1c89c81b275e5f3c42.jpg

598987585a13d_Kushitepotterymeroitic3.thumb.jpg.bbb9c764368cc23e3c56f9597230985e.jpg

5989875ef379c_Largemeroiticjars.thumb.jpg.91724ed94d5407f27f09058be38c5784.jpg

 

Beads:

Beads made of a large variety of materials including precious stones, faience, ceramics and glass. 

598987302c267_Kushbeadsmeroitic2.thumb.jpg.b2dc3d43f2c2a70e104be68ebde2b8d4.jpg

598987376fe93_Kushitebeadsmeroiticperiod.thumb.jpg.425b2a9760a19e12eec3ecb0cdaca923.jpg

5989876bd6893_Meroiticperiodbeadskush3.thumb.jpg.fb19569df91f5a97d5c3a34171933131.jpg

 

Blue Glazed Faience:

Faience is a "sintered-quartz ceramic", and has been produced in Kush since the days of Kerma. These now somewhat faded Napatan and Meroitic period faience objects would have shimmered bright blue/green, back in their day. They are mostly amulets for good fortune/warding of evil, and are found in the form of scarabs and gods like Amun, Horus, Hathor, Bes and others.

5989871c24ae8_Blueglazedfaiencemeroiticnapatankushwingedscarabladyfigure.thumb.jpg.03c2abe4b0bb479b1efd3e297e73cdc9.jpg

5989872303a67_Bluegreenglazedfaienceamuletskush.thumb.jpg.5baaf3f9f974c68e8ba0f88789a54286.jpg

598987298776d_Glazedfaiencemeroitickushamulets.thumb.jpg.e0e7c67682f43e08200305bb8dc0baa0.jpg

5989873fb3086_KushiteMeroiticglazedfaienceamuletscarab.thumb.jpg.b13846256e6ae8f607153275f12fd28e.jpg

59898764e1489_Meroitickushglazedfaienceamuletcatlion.thumb.jpg.8968a75916b6dd71cd2748aa35fbb8ee.jpg

59898775c14c1_ScreenShot2017-08-06at12_04_49.thumb.png.164c45eb743a43bb0fcc9aa55bcad62d.png

 

 

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