THE WORLD CIVILIZATIONS AND INDIA , PART- 6

CIVILIZATIONS OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES THE CIVILIZATIONS OF ANCIENT AFRICAN COUNTRIES are little known to the world communities . We are unaware or less aware about the people of Africa and their society and culture . Even some of us are misconceived of the facts that the ancient African countries had no civilization and culture of their own as such . And they were altogether barbaric people . This misconception could be wiped out when we would know the facts that their real culture and civilization were so rich and prosperous that that requires our ardent attention . They were well versed in the arts of sculpture making , building making and sketch making and some shorts of paintings .They had their own rules and regulations . They had their own economic planning . And they had a well established system of their own governance as such . We would like to have a look on some of the ancient Kingdoms which even Before Christ (BC) were well established and had their own culture and civilization as such .

THE KINGDOM OF KUSH THE KINGDOM OF KUSH had remained a regional power for more than thousand of years . A northern kingdom to EGYPT , THE KINGDOM OF KUSH came into its prominence in the 2nd century BC when it ruled along the NILE river and at a location near to the present day SUDAN . The EGYPTIAN sources holds that it was a very prosperous economic centre of then Africa . There existed a well established and lucrative market of Ivory , Iron , Gold and Incense in the KINGDOM OF KUSH . A military rivals of EGYPT , the KUSHITES , even sometime ruled over the ancient EGYPT , had , in return , adopted many of the cultures and traditions of EGYPT . As they worshiped EGYPTIAN God , mummified their dead body and built their own types of pyramids as such .

THE CIVILIZATION OF PUNT THE CIVILIZATION OF PUNT was one of the most mysterious Civilizations of Africa . THE LAND OF GOD , as per the EGYPTIAN records , the CIVILIZATION OF PUNT dated back to more than 2500 BC . Rich in Ebony , Gold , Myrrh , the KINGDOM OF PUNT , perhaps located around ETHIOPIAN and ERITREAN regions was abode of a famous queen HATSHEPSUT in about 15th century BC during whose regime the EGYPTIANS were said to have sent a huge caravan of delegates and traders . However , it’s exact location is yet to be ascertained .

THE KINGDOM OF KARTHAGE THE KINGDOM OF KARTHAGE located in the present day TUNISIA and its capital TUNIS . A city-state , the KINGDOM OF KARTHAGE , began its civilization in and about the 8th or 9th century BC , was once a North African commercial hub . Famous for seafaring trades of Gold , Silver , Copper and Textiles , whose capital was located around the present day TUNIS , had said to have about population of half a million and docking bays for more than 220 ships when it was a flourishing state in the ancient period . Its influences over Mediterranean regions due to growing trade and commerce were so high that it invited friction with the burgeoning ROMAN EMPIRE and ‘ in the three bloody Punic Wars ‘ the KARTHAGE EMPIRE was almost completely destroyed in the 146 BC .

THE KINGDOM OF AKSUM A prosperous Kingdom of 2nd and 3rd century AD , THE KINGDOM OF AKSUM was located in present day ETHIOPIA and ERITREA . It was flourished as centre of trade and commerce as it had trade relations with the far-east countries and the countries of ancient EUROPE . It was the first country of AFRICA which had developed its own written script known as Ge’eZ . It had also developed its own classical Monument building styles of stones as high as more than 100 feet . It was the first country of AFRICA which adopted Christianity in 4th century AD itself . It had a political and military alliance with BYZANTINE EMPIRE as such .

THE GHANA EMPIRE THE GHANA EMPIRE was developed in the area of SAHIL whose capital was GHANA which was founded in about three century AD . The ARABIAN historian AL BUKHARI was of the opinion that the NEGRO KING OF GHANA had an army of about two lakhs people out of which about forty thousand people were Archers . The city of GHANA was quite prosperous as most of its buildings were made up of stones . Scholars and diplomats were very much honoured in the Empire. The people used to wear dresses made up of cottons , woolens , silk and velvet . Jewelry made up of Gold and Silver were widely prevalent among the masses . They were champion in trading of copper , cotton clothes , dates and Gold Jewelry . To AL BUKHARI , the cities of GHANA and KASH were centre of trade and commerce of that time . And in 1203 AD. the ARAB invasion had finished the rule of SENIN DYNASTY which ruled over GHANA for more than 800 years or so .