The Kushites were a powerful force for over a thousand years in what is now Sudan, building a distinctive civilization south of Egypt. Ancient sources used terms like Cushite, Kushite, and Ethiopian to describe the dark-skinned African peoples of this region, though these terms referred broadly to a diverse, multi-ethnic cultural zone rather than a single group. They founded royal dynasties, built monumental architecture, and gained renown for their craftsmanship in pottery, metalwork, and faience. They emerged from indigenous communities around Kerma, from where they initially expanded their social and political institutions. Over centuries, the Kushites shaped a civilization that rivaled Egypt in both military strength and cultural influence, ultimately developing into the Kingdom of Kush.
