ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw Ancient Africa: Overview The continent of Africa is rich with the history of mankind. Some of the earliest archaeological discoveries of human development have been found in Africa including ancient cave paintings many thousands of years old.. Civilizations Africa has seen the rise and fall of many great civilizations and empires throughout its history. The oldest and longest lasting of these being the Ancient Egyptians who are still famous today for their pyramids and pharaohs. However, the Egyptians weren't the only civilization to develop in Ancient Africa. Important civilizations developed throughout the continent such as Carthage, the Mali Empire, and the Kingdom of Ghana. You can learn more about these civilizations in the links below. Culture The culture of Ancient Africa was as diverse as the geography of the large continent. The Sahara Desert of North Africa, the savanna of West Africa, and the rain forest of Central Africa shaped the way people lived their lives. Much of what we know about Ancient Africa has been passed down orally over the years through storytellers called griots. Geography The geography of Africa helped to shape the history and development of the culture and civilizations of Ancient Africa. The geography impacted where people could live, important trade resources such as gold and salt, and trade routes that helped different civilizations to interact and develop. People A wide variety of peoples developed throughout Ancient Africa over the course of history. Some of the early people groups included the Nok of Nigeria, the Bambuti of the central rain forest, the Berbers of North Africa, and the Bantu of Central and South Africa. Later, new people groups moved into the region including the Arabs of North Africa and the Dutch Boers of South Africa. 1 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw Empire of Ancient Mali Where was the Empire of Mali located? The Empire of Mali was located in Western Africa. It grew up along the Niger River and eventually spread across 1,200 miles from the city of Gao to the Atlantic Ocean. Its northern border was just south of the Sahara Desert. It covered regions of the modern-day African countries of Mali, Niger, Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, and The Gambia. Map of Mali When did the Empire of Mali rule? The Empire of Mali was established around 1235 CE. It began to lose power in the 1400s and fully collapsed in 1600 CE. How did the Empire first begin? The Empire of Mali was formed when a ruler named Sundiata Keita united the tribes of the Malinke peoples. He then led them to overthrow the rule of the Soso. Over time, the Mali Empire became stronger and took over surrounding kingdoms including the Empire of Ghana. 2 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw Government The government of the Mali Empire was led by the emperor who was called the Mansa. The empire was then divided up into provinces that were each led by a governor called a ferba. The religion of Islam played an important part in the government and many of the government administrators were Muslim scribes. The Mali Culture Although there were many small tribes and cultural groups within the Mali Empire, most of these groups were considered part of the Mande peoples. The Mande peoples spoke similar languages and had similar cultures. People were divided into castes. One of the most respected castes were the farmers. Farmers were highly regarded because they provided food. Just below the farmers were the artisans. Other groups included fishermen, scribes, civil servants, soldiers, and slaves. The religion of Islam was an important part of the Mali Empire. However, even though the kings, or Mansas, had converted to Islam, they did not force their subjects to convert. Many people practiced a version of Islam that combined Islamic beliefs with the local traditions. Mansa Musa by Abraham Cresques 3 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw Mansa Musa Perhaps the most famous of the Mali Emperors was Mansa Musa. Mansa Musa became famous because of his lavish trip to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Mecca is the holy city of the Muslims and Mansa Musa decided to make a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324. It is said that Mansa Musa was extremely rich and that he brought as many as 60,000 people along with him on his pilgrimage. He also brought camels loaded with gold. Mansa Musa must have made quite the impression during his trip with his large entourage and massive display of wealth. During his travels, Mansa Musa gave away and spent a significant amount of gold, but he also brought back a lot of new ideas to Mali. This included a number of scholars such as architects, poets, and teachers who helped to improve his empire. Fall of the Empire of Mali Not long after the rule of Mansa Musa ended, the Mali Empire began to grow weak. In the 1400s, the empire began to lose control along the edges of its borders. Then, in the 1500s, the Songhai Empire rose to power. The Mali Empire came to an end in 1610 with the death of the last Mansa, Mahmud IV. Interesting Facts about the Empire of Ancient Mali • Some historians estimate that Mansa Musa may have been the wealthiest person in history. • The great wealth of Mali came from gold and salt mines. • The capital city of the empire was Niani. Other important cities included Timbuktu, Gao, Djenne, and Walata. • The Mali Empire controlled important trade routes across the Sahara Desert to Europe and the Middle East. • The city of Timbuktu was considered a center of education and learning and included the famous Sankore University. 4 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw Kingdom of Kush (Nubia) Kingdom of Kush by Ducksters The Kingdom of Kush was an ancient civilization in Africa. It is often referred to as Nubia and had close ties to Ancient Egypt. Where was the Kingdom of Kush located? The Kingdom of Kush was located in Northeast Africa just south of Ancient Egypt. The main cities of Kush were situated along the Nile River, the White Nile River, and the Blue Nile River. Today, the land of Kush is the country of Sudan. 5 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw How long did the Kingdom of Kush rule? The Kingdom of Kush lasted for over 1400 years. It was first established around 1070 BCE when it gained its independence from Egypt. It quickly became a major power in Northeast Africa. In 727 BCE, Kush took control of Egypt and ruled until the Assyrians arrived. The empire began to weaken after Rome conquered Egypt and eventually collapsed sometime in the 300s CE. Two Capitals The Kingdom of Kush had two different capital cities. The first capital was Napata. Napata was located along the Nile River in Northern Kush. Napata served as the capital during the height of Kush's power. Sometime around 590 BCE, the capital moved to the city of Meroe. Meroe was further south providing a better buffer from the fighting with Egypt. It also was a center for ironworking, an important resource for the kingdom. Similar to Ancient Egypt The Kingdom of Kush was very similar to Ancient Egypt in many aspects including government, culture, and religion. Like the Egyptians, the Kushites built pyramids at burial sites, worshiped Egyptian gods, and mummified the dead. The ruling class of Kush likely considered themselves Egyptian in many ways. Nubian Pyramids 6 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw Iron and Gold Two of the most important resources of Ancient Kush were gold and iron. Gold helped Kush to become wealthy as it could be traded to the Egyptians and other nearby nations. Iron was the most important metal of the age. It was used to make the strongest tools and weapons. Culture of Kush Outside of the Pharaoh and the ruling class, the priests were the most important social class in Kush. They made the laws and communicated with the gods. Just below the priests were the artisans and scribes. Artisans worked the iron and gold that was such an important part of the Kushite economy. Farmers were also respected as they provided the food for the country. At the bottom were servants, laborers, and slaves. Like the Egyptians, religion played an important role in the lives of the Kushites. They believed strongly in the afterlife. Women played an important role and could be leaders in Kush. Many of the Kushite leaders were queens. Interesting Facts about the Kingdom of Kush • In battle, Kush was famous for its archers and the bow and arrow were often depicted in the art of Ancient Kush. Sometimes the region was called the "Land of the Bow" because of its famous archers. • One of the most famous leaders of Kush was Piye who conquered Egypt and became pharaoh of Egypt. • Most of the people of Kush were farmers. Their primary crops were wheat and barley. They also grew cotton to make clothing. • The pyramids of Kush tended to be smaller than the pyramids of Egypt. The burial chambers were located below the pyramids. Many of these pyramids were built near the city of Meroe and can still be seen today. • The priests were so powerful they could decide when it was time for the king to die. • People didn't live very long in Kush. The average person was expected to live only 20 to 25 years. • Besides gold and iron, other important trade items included ivory, slaves, incense, feathers, and wild animal hides. 7 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw Kingdoms of Central Africa Central Africa is a large region covered with rain forest and savanna grasslands. People have lived in this region for thousands of years. One of the first civilizations to develop here was the Sao Civilization in modern-day Chad and Cameroon. The Sao civilization began as early as 500 BCE. Over time, other kingdoms rose and fell in Central Africa. We will discuss some of the major kingdoms below. Kingdoms of Central Africa Kingdom of Zimbabwe The Kingdom of Zimbabwe came into power around 1200 CE and ruled for over 200 years. It was located in the current modern-day country of Zimbabwe. At the center of the kingdom was the famous city of Great Zimbabwe. Great Zimbabwe was a large city where an estimated 18,000 people lived during its peak. It was the center of power and trade in Central and Southern Africa for many years. Today, the large stone walls and towers of Great Zimbabwe still stand. 8 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw Kongo The Kingdom of the Kongo rose to power at the end of the 1300s. It ruled a large area of Central Africa until 1914 when it became a colony of Portugal. The king of the Kongo was called the Monikongo. In 1483, the Portuguese arrived. They brought with them Christianity and trade relations. They also brought with them the slave trade. Over time, the slave trade began to weaken the Kongo. Some rulers, most notably Manikongo Afonso I, attempted to stop the slave trade. However, they were unsuccessful. By the late 1800s, the kingdom was collapsing and was taken over by the Portuguese in 1914. Luba The Kingdom of Luba formed in Central Africa in 1585. It ruled a large region in the modern-day country of the Democratic Republic of Congo up until 1889. Luba was ruled by both a king, called the Mulpwe, and a council of elders, called the Bamfumus. The first king of Luba was Llunga Mbili. His eldest son, Kalala Llunga, was considered the greatest of the Luba kings. His second son, Tshibinda Llunga, founded the Lunda Kingdom. Lunda The Lunda Kingdom was established in 1665 by Tshibinda Llunga, brother of the King of Luba. The Lunda expanded to the east, conquering other tribes and gaining territory. The government of the Lunda was very similar to that of the Luba with a ruling king and a council. The Kingdom continued to grow until the late 1800s when European powers arrived and colonized the region. Mutapa The Kingdom of Mutapa ruled a large region in Central Africa in the modern-day countries of Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It was first established in 1430 by a warrior leader from the Kingdom of Zimbabwe. The kingdom grew and became wealthy from mining gold and trading ivory. It established trade relations with Portugal in the 1500s. The kingdom collapsed when civil war broke out in 1759 upon the death of the king. 9 ST. IGNATIUS COLLEGE St Ignatius College P.O Box CH80 Chisipiti Harare Telephone: +263 772 168 268 +263 777 702 963 E-mail: rnyadawa@stignatiuscollege.ac.zw www.stignatiuscollege.ac.zw The ruins of Great Zimbabwe Interesting Facts about the Kingdoms of Central Africa • Some of the most valuable items in Central Africa were dried fish, cloth, and salt. • It is thought that Great Zimbabwe extended its trade network as far as China and the Middle East. • The people of Central Africa mostly speak the Bantu languages and are often called the Bantu peoples. • Swahili is a Bantu language. You have likely heard some Swahili words such as "simba", which means lion, and "safari", which means journey. Prepared by: Br Ronnie 10
