Meroitic Script (800BC - 600 AD) originated from Napata, the new capital of Ethiopia or Kush.  It was first known to be used in Napata so is sometimes referred to as "Napatan" script.  It is related to the modern languages of Tanar, Niyma and Nubian.  It was written in two forms, cursive and hieroglyphical.  When in cursive it was written horizontally from right to left (!) and is derived from Egyptian Demotic.  It was used for everyday administration such as papyri and pottery.  Roughly 90% of surviving inscriptions are written in cursive script.

It was written in hieroglyphics, but vertically (right to left again) and derived from Egyptian hieroglyphics.  In this style it was used for royalty, religious writing and for monumental stone inscriptions.  

It is categorized as alpha-syllabary (abugida) as it has 23 sighs; 15 consonants, 4 vowels and 4 syllabic signs (ne, se, te, to).  Words and sentences are separated by 2 or 3 vertical dots.  Because of this, linguists are able to decode or "read" this script, but meaning is still a puzzle to be solved.  It is valued as important as it is one of the earliest indigenous written languages developed in sub-Sahara Africa.