History of Early Africa


History of Early Africa


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Perspective


The history of early Africa began with the emergence of archaic humans in East Africa. The earliest written history arose in Ancient Egypt, and later spread through Nubia and the Sahel to the Horn of Africa. North African history became entwined with the empire of Islam, which expanded into Southern Europe. Meanwhile, the expansion of the Bantu peoples swept from Central Africa across the Sahel in waves beginning around 1000 BC. This created a community of related languages across much of central and southern Africa.

Farther south, the Nok culture developed in 1500 BC in what is now Nigeria. The Nok produced terracotta figures of human heads and forms and various animals, and by 500 BC they had developed an iron industry. But by 200 AD the Nok culture had vanished. Based on stylistic similarities, the bronze figurines of the kingdoms of Ife and Benin appear to have been derived from the traditions of the earlier Nok culture.

During the 7th century AD, the empire of Islam began to spread west from Arabia to Egypt and went on to become the foundational faith of the West African empires of Mali, Ghana, and Songhai. Before the onset of European colonialism, Africa had some 10,000 different states and tribes with their own languages and customs.


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Index

Early Africa Index | Society: CommunitiesEnvironmentMigration | Central Africa: Kongo | East Africa: KushLand of PuntSwahili City-States: SocietyEconomy | East Africa: Economy | Ethiopia: Christianity | Southern Africa: Great Zimbabwe | West Africa: Hausa States: BornuGobirKanemKanoZazzau | Kingdom of Benin | Kingdom of Ife | Kingdom of Oyo | Sudanic Kingdoms: Ghana: SocietyPowerEconomy | Mali: Power | Songhai


history of Early Africa

Early Africa: Index

history of early Africa | society

Society

history of Early Africa | communities

Society: Communities

history of Early Africa | environment

Society: Environment

history of Early Africa | migration

Society: Migration

history of Early Africa | Central Africa

Central Africa

history of Early Africa | Central Africa | Kongo

Central Africa: Kongo

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Early East Africa

East Africa

Kush

East Africa: Kush

Land of Punt

East Africa: Land of Punt

Swahili city-states

East Africa: Swahili City-States

history of Early Africa | Swahili city-states | society

Swahili City-States: Society

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history of Early Africa | Swahili city-states | economy

Swahili City-States: Economy

history of Early Africa | East Africa | economy

East Africa: Economy

history of Early Africa | Ethiopia

East Africa: Ethiopia

history of Early Africa | Ethiopia | Christianity

Ethiopia: Christianity

Great Zimbabwe

Southern Africa: Great Zimbabwe

history of Early Africa | West Africa

West Africa

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Hausa states

West Africa: Hausa States

Bornu

Hausa States: Bornu

Gobir

Hausa States: Gobir

Kanem

Hausa States: Kanem

Kano

Hausa States: Kano

Zazzau

Hausa States: Zazzau

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history of Early Africa | Hausa states | Kingdom of Benin

West Africa: Kingdom of Benin

history of Early Africa | Hausa states | Kingdom of Ife

West Africa: Kingdom of Ife

history of Early Africa | Hausa states | Kingdom of Oyo

West Africa: Kingdom of Oyo

history of Early Africa | West Africa | Sudanic kingdoms

West Africa: Sudanic Kingdoms

history of Early Africa | West Africa | Ghana

Sudanic Kingdoms: Ghana

history of Early Africa | West Africa | Ghana | society

Ghana: Society

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history of Early Africa | West Africa | Ghana: power

Ghana: Power

history of Early Africa | West Africa | Ghana | economy

Ghana: Economy

history of Early Africa | West Africa | Sudanic Kingdoms | Mali

Sudanic Kingdoms: Mali

history of Early Africa | West Africa | Sudanic Kingdoms | Mali | power

Mali: Power

history of Early Africa | West Africa | Sudanic Kingdoms | Songhai

Sudanic Kingdoms: Songhai

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Samples



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