title stringlengths 29 135 | description stringlengths 1 424 | url stringlengths 67 81 | content stringlengths 1.84k 55.5k | publishedTime stringlengths 25 25 | usage dict |
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a brief note on contacts between ancient African kingdoms and Rome. | finding the lost city of Rhapta on the east African coast. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-contacts-between | Few classical civilizations were as impactful to the foreign contacts of ancient African states and societies like the Roman Empire.
Shortly after Augustus became emperor of Rome, his armies undertook a series of campaigns into the African mainland south of the Mediterranean coast. The first of the Roman campaigns was... | 2024-06-09T16:20:45+00:00 | {
"tokens": 2097
} |
A complete history of Abomey: capital of Dahomey (ca. 1650-1894) | Journal of African cities chapter 10. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-complete-history-of-abomey-capital | Abomey was one of the largest cities in the "forest region" of west-Africa; a broad belt of kingdoms extending from Ivory coast to southern Nigeria. Like many of the urban settlements in the region whose settlement was associated with royal power, the city of Abomey served as the capital of the kingdom of Dahomey.
Hom... | 2023-09-10T16:07:18+00:00 | {
"tokens": 10094
} |
A history of Women's political power and matriliny in the kingdom of Kongo. | In the 19th century, anthropologists were fascinated by the concept of matrilineal descent in which kinship is traced through the female line. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-womens-political-power | In the 19th century, anthropologists were fascinated by the concept of matrilineal descent in which kinship is traced through the female line. Matriliny was often confounded with matriarchy as a supposedly earlier stage of social evolution than patriarchy. Matriliny thus became a discrete object of exaggerated importan... | 2023-10-08T14:31:04+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6216
} |
A history of the Loango kingdom (ca.1500-1883) : Power, Ivory and Art in west-central Africa. | Africa's past carved in ivory | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-loango-kingdom-ca1500 | For more than five centuries, the kingdom of Loango dominated the coastal region of west central Africa between the modern countries of Gabon and Congo-Brazzaville. As a major regional power, Loango controlled lucrative trade routes that funneled African commodities into local and international markets, chief among whi... | 2023-05-07T12:45:51+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9429
} |
Life and works of Africa's most famous Woman scholar: Nana Asmau (1793-1864) | On the contribution of Muslim women in African history. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/life-and-works-of-africas-most-famous | Throughout its history, Africa has produced many notable women scholars who contributed greatly to its intellectual heritage.[1](https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/life-and-works-of-africas-most-famous#footnote-1-144303681) But few are as prominent as the 19th-century scholar Nana Asmau from the Sokoto empire in wha... | 2024-05-05T15:29:26+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8097
} |
The empire of Kong (ca. 1710-1915): a cultural legacy of medieval Mali. | At the close of the 18th century, the West African hosts of the Scottish traveler Mungo Park informed him of a range of mountains situated in "a large and powerful kingdom called Kong". | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-empire-of-kong-ca-1710-1915-a | At the close of the 18th century, the West African hosts of the Scottish traveler Mungo Park informed him of a range of mountains situated in _**"a large and powerful kingdom called Kong".**_
These legendary mountains of Kong subsequently appeared on maps of Africa and became the subject of all kinds of fanciful stori... | 2024-07-28T14:49:07+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6955
} |
A history of the Massina empire (1818-1862) | the sucessor of Songhai | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-massina-empire-1818 | Buried in the pages of an old west African chronicle is a strange prophecy foretelling the emergence of a charismatic leader from the region of Massina in central Mali. According to the chronicle, the Songhai emperor Askiya Muhammad was transported into a spiritual realm where he was told that he would be suceeded as ‘... | 2023-07-09T15:05:06+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9577
} |
a brief note on the origin of African civilizations | plus, the Nok Neolithic culture. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-the-origin-of-african | Beginning around 12,000 years ago, a wide-ranging set of developments emerged independently in several societies across the world. Plants and animals were domesticated, pottery and advanced tools appeared, and settlements were established. This archeological period, often refered to as the 'Neolithic' or 'Late stone Ag... | 2023-10-28T16:17:55+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1548
} |
Demystifying the land of Punt and locating ancient Egypt's place in African History | On early state formation in the northern Horn of Africa (2700BC-800BC) | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/demystifying-the-ancient-land-of | _**“Why have you come here in this land, which the people do not know? Did you come down on this way from the sky, or did you sail upon the waters, upon the sea of God’s Land?" (**_The ruler of Punt welcoming an Egyptian trade expedition into his country[1](https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/demystifying-the-ancient... | 2022-11-27T15:01:03+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8612
} |
a brief note on the history of Music in Africa | plus an overview of Ethiopian musical traditions | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-the-history-of-music | The continent of Africa is home to some of the oldest and most diverse range of musical traditions, instruments and performances in world history
Evidence of music in Africa appears long before the emergence of complex societies and states. The stone age paintings of tassili n'Ajjer in southern Algeria, which was occu... | 2023-11-12T16:25:14+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1499
} |
A political history of the Kotoko city states (ca. 1000-1900) | Urbanism and state building in the lake chad basin.. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-political-history-of-the-kotoko | The parched floodplains of the lake chad basin were home to Africa's most enigmatic urban societies. Enclosed within monumental walls was a maze of palaces, towering fortresses, flat-roofed houses, and vibrant markets intersected by narrow streets.
The cities of Kotoko were organized into state-level societies in whic... | 2023-02-26T13:20:14+00:00 | {
"tokens": 5278
} |
Voices of Africa's past: a brief note on the autobiographies of itinerant scholars. | an african description of turn-of-the-century Europe. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/voices-of-africas-past-a-brief-note | Among the most significant works of African literature produced during the pre-colonial era were the autobiographies of itinerant scholars which included descriptions of important social institutions and recorded key events in the continent’s history.
The autobiography of the Hausa ethnographer [Umaru al-Kanawi contai... | 2024-06-23T16:44:47+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1644
} |
a brief note on the African exploration of the Old world | plus: the African discovery of north-western Europe. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-the-african-exploration | Africans have been travelling and exploring the world beyond their continent since antiquity. Documentation of the African presence outside the continent begun as soon as the kingdom of Kush expanded into western Asia in the 7th century BC, and would continue into the early centuries of the common era when Kushite envo... | 2023-09-16T16:31:14+00:00 | {
"tokens": 909
} |
a brief note on the ancient Herders and Foragers of South Africa. | a social history of the KhoiKhoi community (2000BP - 1880) | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-the-ancient-herders | At the start of the common era, much of southwestern Africa was populated by an ancient group of foragers and herders collectively known as the Khoe-San; a diverse community that is often divided into the hunter-gatherers (San) and herder (Khoekhoe) populations. The Khoe-San have a complex and enigmatic history that sp... | 2024-01-07T16:17:33+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1771
} |
Self-representation in African art: the wall paintings of medieval Nubia. (ca. 700-1400) | an African portrait of an African society | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/self-representation-in-african-art | Many of the representations of Africans in popular art history were made by non-Africans, such as the landmark publication series, _'The Image of the Black in Western Art'_ which contains thousands of images of Africans drawn by artists living outside the continent. However, most of these artists' representation of Afr... | 2023-06-11T16:33:45+00:00 | {
"tokens": 11483
} |
How Africans wrote their own history: Debates and dialogues between four west African historians in the 16th and 19th century. | Facts, myths and royal propaganda. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/how-africans-wrote-their-own-history | The nineteenth-century in West Africa was a time of revolution and intellectual renaissance. A political movement that had begun a century before in the region of modern Senegal fanned out along the banks of the Niger river to the shores of lake Chad, overthrowing old governments and replacing them with clerical author... | 2023-09-24T13:56:10+00:00 | {
"tokens": 10756
} |
The Mali empire: A complete history (ca. 1250-1650) | At its height in the 14th century, the Mali empire was one of Africa's largest states, extending over an estimated 1.2 million square kilometers in West Africa. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-mali-empire-a-complete-history | At its height in the 14th century, the Mali empire was one of Africa's largest states, extending over an estimated 1.2 million square kilometers in West Africa. Encompassing at least five modern African states, the empire produced some of the continent's most renowned historical figures like Mansa Musa and enabled the ... | 2024-02-25T15:43:05+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9021
} |
a complete history of Mombasa ca. 600-1895. | Journal of African cities: chapter 13 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-complete-history-of-mombasa-ca | The island of Mombasa is home to one of the oldest cities on the East African coast and is today the largest seaport in the region.
Mombasa’s strategic position on the Swahili Coast and its excellent harbours were key factors in its emergence as a prosperous city-state linking the East African mainland to the Indian O... | 2024-09-08T16:15:58+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9173
} |
Reversing the Sail: a brief note on African travelers in the western Indian Ocean | The Swahili in Arabia and the Persian gulf | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/reversing-the-sail-a-brief-note-on | In December of 2000, a team of researchers exploring the island of Socotra off the coast of Yemen made a startling discovery. Hidden in the limestone caves of the island was a massive corpus of inscriptions and drawings left by ancient visitors from India, Africa, and the Middle East. At least eight of the inscriptions... | 2024-01-21T16:12:26+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1679
} |
The role of firearms in African military history, and the guns of the Benin kingdom. | "The Zulus appeared almost to grow out of the earth. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-role-of-firearms-in-african-military | _**"The Zulus appeared almost to grow out of the earth. From rock and bush on the heights above started scores of men armed, some with rifles others with shields and spears. Gradually their main body; an immense column: opened out in splendid order upon each rank and firmly encircled the camp from their heights above."... | 2024-10-27T17:10:49+00:00 | {
"tokens": 3309
} |
A muslim kingdom in the Ethiopian highlands: the history of Ifat and Adal ca. 1285-1520. | During the late Middle Ages, the northern Horn of Africa was home to some of the continent's most powerful dynasties, whose history significantly shaped the region's social landscape. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-muslim-kingdom-in-the-ethiopian | During the late Middle Ages, the northern Horn of Africa was home to some of the continent's most powerful dynasties, whose history significantly shaped the region's social landscape.
The history of one of these dynasties, often referred to as the Solomonids, has been sufficiently explored in many works of African his... | 2024-06-16T14:54:37+00:00 | {
"tokens": 7058
} |
Empire building and Government in the Yorubaland: a history of Oyo (1600-1836) | Why Africa's internal political processes explain African history better than external actors. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/empire-building-and-government-in | For over two centuries, the region of south-western Nigeria populated by Yoruba-speakers was home to one of the largest states in west Africa after the fall of Songhai.
The rise of Oyo empire as the dominant state of the Yorubaland owed much to its complex political structure, whose elaborate system of government that... | 2022-12-18T14:01:05+00:00 | {
"tokens": 11544
} |
a brief note on European and African perspectives in travel literature | A Hausa explorer of western Europe. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-european-and-african | The study of written history is in many ways, a study of perspectives.
In the parts of Africa where the most accessible accounts about the region’s past used to be the travel literature of European visitors, the study of African history was a study of European perspectives of Africa. The Eurocentric perspective of tra... | 2024-02-18T14:05:06+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1605
} |
Acemoglu in Kongo: a critique of 'Why Nations Fail' and its wilful ignorance of African history. | There aren’t many Africans on the list of Nobel laureates, nor does research on African societies show up in the selection committees of Stockholm. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/acemoglu-in-kongo-a-critique-of-why | There aren’t many Africans on the list of Nobel laureates, nor does research on African societies show up in the selection committees of Stockholm. It was therefore a refreshing change when the trio of American economists; Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson, whose work includes research on pre-colonial a... | 2024-11-03T12:50:03+00:00 | {
"tokens": 11361
} |
a brief note on African travel literature in history | a Swahili document on south-central Africa. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-african-travel-literature | Travel writing constitutes a major primary source for reconstructing African history, and is especially important in supplementing internal accounts.
While much of the African travel literature that historians have access to was written by external visitors, a significant volume of travel literature was composed by Af... | 2024-05-26T16:13:01+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1494
} |
The 'hidden founders' of African studies in Europe: African intellectuals in the Holy Roman Empire and the German Reich ca. 1652-1918. | In June 1652, the Ethiopian scholar Abba Gorgoryos reached the city of Nuremburg in what was then the Holy Roman Empire (modern Germany) where he met Hiob Ludolf, an envoy and linguist whom later generations of ‘Ethiopists’ would regard as the founder of Ethiopian studies in Europe. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-hidden-founders-of-african-studies | In June 1652, the Ethiopian scholar Abba Gorgoryos reached the city of Nuremburg in what was then the Holy Roman Empire (modern Germany) where he met Hiob Ludolf, an envoy and linguist whom later generations of ‘Ethiopists’ would regard as the founder of Ethiopian studies in Europe.
Ludolf had first met Gorgoryos in R... | 2024-11-24T16:08:48+00:00 | {
"tokens": 4236
} |
On Hegel's ignorance of African History | *my article for ROAPE journal | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/on-hegels-ignorance-of-african-history | Please read, share and subscribe
[How Hegel’s Deliberate Ignorance of African History Legitimated the Colonisation of Africa.](https://roape.net/2023/07/20/how-hegels-deliberate-ignorance-of-african-history-legitimated-the-colonisation-of-africa/)
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"tokens": 551
} |
A social history of the Lamu city-state (1370-1885) | Journal of African cities chapter 5 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-social-history-of-the-lamu-city | Situated off the eastern coast of Kenya, the old city of Lamu, with its narrow alleys, old mosques and coral-stone houses with white-washed façades, is the quintessential Swahili city.
Lamu was a Janus-faced city, mediating economic and social interactions between the African mainland and the Indian Ocean world. It wa... | 2023-01-29T13:20:58+00:00 | {
"tokens": 10007
} |
The complete history of Kano (999-1903) | journal of African cities chapter 9 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-complete-history-of-kano-999 | The Hausa city of Kano is one of west Africa's oldest and best documented capitals, with a long and complex political history dating back nearly a thousand years. The city-state was ruled by a series of powerful dynasties which transformed it into a major cosmopolitan hub, attracting merchants, scholars and settlers fr... | 2023-04-23T13:13:59+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9873
} |
The ancient city of Meroe: the capital of Kush (ca. 950 BC-350 CE) | Journal of African cities: chapter 15 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-ancient-city-of-meroe-the-capital | Located in the desert sands near the Nile in modern Sudan is the ancient city of Meroe, which ranks among the world's oldest cities and is home to [iconic Nubian pyramids](https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-pyramids-of-ancient-nubia-and).
Established as early as the 10th century BC, Meroe was the political and ... | 2024-10-06T16:37:51+00:00 | {
"tokens": 15371
} |
A history of Horses in the southern half of Africa ca. 1498-1900. | Horses and humans have shared a long history in Africa since the emergence of equestrian societies across the continent during the bronze age. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-horses-in-the-southern | Horses and humans have shared a long history in Africa since the emergence of equestrian societies across the continent during the bronze age.
For over 3,000 years, [Horses were central to the formation and expansion of states in West Africa](https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/knights-of-the-sahara-a-history-of?utm... | 2024-11-17T16:46:54+00:00 | {
"tokens": 11569
} |
a brief note on Madagascar's position in African history | plus, early industrialization in the Merina kingdom. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-madagascars-position | The island of Madagascar has for long languished on the periphery of African historiography. The reluctance of some Africanists to look beyond the east African coast stems partly from the perception of Madagascar as insular and more 'culturally' south-Asian than African, despite such terms being modern constructs with ... | 2023-08-05T16:40:05+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1071
} |
An empire of cloth: the textile industry of the Sokoto empire ca. 1808-1903. | The Hausaland region of northern Nigeria was home to one of the largest textile industries in pre-colonial Africa, whose scale and scope were unparalleled throughout most of the continent. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/an-empire-of-cloth-the-textile-industry | The Hausaland region of northern Nigeria was home to one of the largest textile industries in pre-colonial Africa, whose scale and scope were unparalleled throughout most of the continent.
As one German explorer who visited the region in 1854 noted, there was ‘something grand’ about this textile industry whose signatu... | 2024-10-20T17:10:43+00:00 | {
"tokens": 11563
} |
The forgotten ruins of Botswana: stone towns at the desert's edge. | At its height in the 17th century, the stone towns of the ‘zimbabwe culture’ encompassed an area the size of France. The hundreds of ruins spread across three countries in south-eastern Africa are among the continent’s best-preserved historical monuments and have been the subject of great scholarly and public interest. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-forgotten-ruins-of-botswana-stone | At its height in the 17th century, the stone towns of the ‘_zimbabwe culture_’ encompassed an area the size of France[1](https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-forgotten-ruins-of-botswana-stone#footnote-1-145195977). The hundreds of ruins spread across three countries in south-eastern Africa are among the continent’... | 2024-06-02T15:08:48+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8695
} |
A General History of Iron Technology in Africa ca. 2000BC-1900AD. | The smelting and working of iron is arguably the best known among the pre-colonial technologies of Africa, and the continent is home to some of the world's oldest sites of ironworking. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-general-history-of-iron-technology | The smelting and working of iron is arguably the best known among the pre-colonial technologies of Africa, and the continent is home to some of the world's oldest sites of ironworking.
Iron metallurgy was an integral component of socioeconomic life across the continent, and has played a significant role in the sociocu... | 2024-08-11T16:25:48+00:00 | {
"tokens": 11084
} |
The stone ruins of Bokoni: egalitarian systems and agricultural technology in pre-colonial South Africa. (16th-19th century) | challenging conventional narratives on pre-colonial Africa's social order and agricultural practices. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-stone-ruins-of-bokoni-egalitarian | The ruins of Bokoni in South Africa are some of the most spectacular remains of pre-colonial agricultural societies on the African continent. Extending over an area of 10,000 square kilometers are circular mazes of stone-built homesteads and towns linked by walled roads that are interspersed among spreads of agricultur... | 2022-11-20T12:42:02+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6577
} |
The complete history of Brava (Barawa) ca. 1000-1900: a Swahili enclave in southern Somalia | Journal of African cities: chapter 11 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-complete-history-of-brava-ca | Tucked along the southern coast of Somalia, the old city of Brava preserves the remains of a once bustling cosmopolitan enclave whose influence features prominently in the history of the East African coast.
Located more than 500 km north of the Swahili heartland, Brava retained a unique urban society whose language, a... | 2024-03-24T15:44:15+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8752
} |
The complete history of Zeila (Zayla), a medieval city in Somaliland: ca. 800-1885 CE. | Journal of African cities: chapter 14 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-complete-history-of-zeila-zayla | The Gulf of Aden which links the Red Sea region to the Indian Ocean world was (and remains) one of the busiest maritime passages in the world. Tucked along its southern shores in the modern country of Somaliland was the medieval port city of Zeila which commanded much of the trade between the northern Horn of Africa an... | 2024-09-22T16:05:57+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9064
} |
The empire of Samori Ture on the eve of colonialism (1870-1898) | a revolution with a contested legacy. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-empire-of-samori-ture-on-the | For many centuries, political systems in the societies of the west-African savannah were sustained by a delicate but stable relationship between the influencial merchant class and the ruling nobility. But in the last decades of the 19th century, a revolution among the merchant class overthrew the nobility and created o... | 2023-12-17T15:20:27+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8253
} |
The Dahlak islands and the African dynasty of Yemen | a complete history of a cosmopolitan archipelago in the red sea (4th-19th century) | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-dahlak-islands-and-the-african | At the height of the middle ages, a small group of islands in the red sea near the Eritrean coast featured prominently in the navigational instructions of merchant ships plying the ocean routes connecting Fatimid Egypt to the Indian ocean world.
Now known for pearl fishing and scuba diving, the Dahlak archipelago was ... | 2023-02-05T13:09:10+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6678
} |
A complete history of the old city of Gao ca. 700-1898. | Journal of African cities: chapter 12 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-complete-history-of-the-old-city | Located in northeastern Mali along the bend of the Niger River, the old city of Gao was the first urban settlement in West Africa to appear in external accounts as the capital of a large kingdom which rivaled the Ghana empire.
For many centuries, the city of Gao commanded a strategic position within the complex politi... | 2024-07-14T15:29:04+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8523
} |
a brief note on European pirates and African states during the 'golden age of piracy.' | a pirate stronghold and kingdom in 18th century Madagascar. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-european-pirates | For most of its history, maritime trade in the Indian and Atlantic ocean world was characterized by ‘**competitive chaos’**.
Europeans visiting both regions had to contend with preexisting trade networks and cooperate with local rulers. The labeling of individuals as pirates was a means of advancing the economic and p... | 2024-03-17T16:29:15+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1938
} |
Economic growth and social transformation in 19th century Somalia. | Desert caravans, coastal cities and population movements | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/economic-growth-and-social-transformation | During the 19th century, the social landscape of Southern Somalia was profoundly transformed as a result of East Africa’s integration into global trade, reversing the period of stagnation following the collapse of the Ajuran empire.
Camel caravans of enterprising Somali merchants begun trekking across the arid interio... | 2023-02-12T13:01:41+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6712
} |
Africa and Europe during the age of mutual exploration: a Swahili traveler's description of 19th century Germany. | The late modern period that began in the early 19th century was the height of mutual exploration on a global scale in which African travelers were active agents. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/africa-and-europe-in-the-age-of-mutual | The late modern period that began in the early 19th century was the height of mutual exploration on a global scale in which African travelers were active agents.
In the preceding period, Africans had been traveling and occasionally settling across much of the old world since antiquity; from [China](https://www.patreon... | 2024-09-15T15:52:51+00:00 | {
"tokens": 2340
} |
A history of the Gonja Kingdom: (1550-1899) | State and society in nothern ghana after the Mali empire's decline. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-gonja-kingdom-1550 | Near the end of the Mali empire, several sucessor states emerged across its southern frontier that inherited some of the empire's cultural and political institutions. One of the most remarkable heirs to the legacy of Mali was the Gonja kingdom in northern Ghana.
The kingdom of Gonja was an important regional power, li... | 2023-07-02T15:03:58+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9823
} |
An African civilization in the heart of the Sahara: the Kawar oasis-towns from 850-1913 | castles, salt and dates | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/an-african-civilization-in-the-heart | The central Sahara may be the world's most inhospitable environment, but it was also home to one west Africa's most dynamic civilizations.
The picturesque oases of Kawar in northern Niger; with their towering fortresses, multi-colored salt-pans and shady palm-gardens, were at the heart of west Africa's political and e... | 2022-12-11T12:08:08+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9137
} |
The desert town of Southern Africa: A history of Khauxanas 1780-1906 | A view of pre-colonial Namibia from the khoisan town of ||Khauxa!nas. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-desert-town-of-southern-africa | Located deep in the harsh deserts of southern Namibia, the ruined town of khauxanas was at the center of a fascinating chapter in southern Africa's political history.
Founded around the late 18th century by the Orlam clan of the Nama Khoisan, the 5-acre stone settlement of Khauxanas straddles several important histori... | 2023-03-19T14:09:03+00:00 | {
"tokens": 7141
} |
a brief note on new discoveries in African archeology and the stone ruins of Cameroon. | Among the first ancient Egyptian accounts on its southern neighbors is an old kingdom inscription that describes a trading expedition to an unspecified region called the land of Punt. Egyptologists had long debated about the location of this mysterious territory before recent archeological discoveries at Mahal Teglinos... | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-new-discoveries-in | Among the first ancient Egyptian accounts on its southern neighbors is an old kingdom inscription that describes a trading expedition to an unspecified region called [the land of Punt](https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/demystifying-the-ancient-land-of). Egyptologists had long debated about the location of this myst... | 2024-08-04T14:40:04+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1767
} |
A history of the Lozi kingdom. ca. 1750-1911. | state and society in south-central Africa | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-lozi-kingdom-ca | In the first decade of the 20th century, only a few regions on the African continent were still controlled by sovereign kingdoms. One of these was the Lozi kingdom, a vast state in south-central Africa covering nearly 250,000 sqkm that was led by a shrewd king who had until then, managed to retain his autonomy.
The Lo... | 2024-03-11T14:45:19+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6264
} |
Historical links between the Ottoman empire and Sudanic Africa (1574-1880) | travel and exchanges between Istanbul and the states of; Bornu, Funj, Darfur and Massina. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/historical-links-between-the-ottoman | In 1574, an embassy from the empire of Bornu arrived at the Ottoman capital of Istanbul after having travelled more than 4,000 km from Ngazargamu in north-eastern Nigeria. This exceptional visit by an African kingdom to the Ottoman capital was the first of several diplomatic and intellectual exchanges between Istanbul ... | 2023-08-27T12:43:09+00:00 | {
"tokens": 7609
} |
The African diaspora in Portuguese India: 1500-1800. | Sailors, Merchants and Priests. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-african-diaspora-in-portuguese | The Indian sub-continent has historically been home to one of Africa's best documented diasporic communities in Asia. For many centuries, Africans from different parts of eastern Africa travelled to and settled in the various kingdoms and communities across India. Some rose to prominent positions, becoming rulers and a... | 2023-11-05T15:27:21+00:00 | {
"tokens": 7056
} |
Persian myths and realities on the Swahili coast: contextualizing the 'Shirazi' civilization. | Why geneticists found what archeologists and historians had failed to locate. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/persian-myths-and-realities-on-the | **As Persian as Mike Tyson? the Swahili at first glance.**
_**"I've heard that most people in Kizimkazi claim to be Persian, To me the people look about as Persian as Mike Tyson. It’s a bit like me claiming to be white because my great-great-grandfather was an Irishman named Brady. Its taken my people fifty years to m... | 2023-05-24T14:31:11+00:00 | {
"tokens": 13558
} |
a brief note on themes in African art. | Cartography, Culture and History in the artwork of the Bamum kingdom. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-themes-in-african | Sometime in the early 14th century, a skilled smith in the West African kingdom of Ife sculpted an image of a King's face into a mask of pure copper.[1](https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-themes-in-african#footnote-1-146842774) With its idealized features and naturalistic proportions, the copper mask... | 2024-07-21T12:37:51+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1924
} |
The kingdom of Ndongo and the Portuguese: Queen Njinga and the dynasty of women sovereigns (1515-1909) | The effects of early colonial warfare in central Africa | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-kingdom-of-ndongo-and-the-portuguese | Founded in the highlands of modern Angola near the Atlantic coast, the kingdom of Ndongo's political history was to be inextricably tied to Portuguese colonial interests in west-central Africa. For nearly a century, the armies of Ndongo battled with Portuguese in multiple wars that resulted in the loss of most of Ndong... | 2023-01-08T14:25:50+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9048
} |
The complete history of Gondar: Africa's city of castles (1636-1900) | Journal of African cities chapter 8 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-complete-history-of-gondar-africas | Perched on the mountains of northern Ethiopia, the city of Gondar is one of Africa's best known historic capitals.
For nearly three centuries, Gondar served as the political and cultural center of Ethiopia. Its impressive architectural monuments and artistic production constitute some of Africa's greatest cultural acc... | 2023-04-09T15:01:56+00:00 | {
"tokens": 11544
} |
Guns and Spears: a military history of the Zulu kingdom. | Popular history of Africa before the colonial era often divides the continent’s military systems into two broad categories —the relatively modern armies along the Atlantic coast which used firearms, versus the 'traditional' armies in the interior that fought with arrows and spears. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/guns-and-spears-a-military-history | Popular history of Africa before the colonial era often divides the continent’s military systems into two broad categories —the relatively modern armies along the Atlantic coast which used firearms, versus the 'traditional' armies in the interior that fought with arrows and spears. And it was the latter in particular, ... | 2023-10-22T15:36:13+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8201
} |
a brief note on the African exploration of Asia | plus; the African presence in Japan (1543-1639) | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-the-african-exploration-a90 | For much of Africa’s history, many of its travelers who ventured outside the continent often went to western and southern Asia.
In antiquity, the North-East African kingdoms of Kush and Aksum which were closest to Asia, extended their control over parts of western Asia and Arabia. African rulers, soldiers, merchants, ... | 2023-10-14T16:22:21+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1011
} |
A history of the west African diaspora in Arabia and Jerusalem before 1900 | The legacy of west African travel to Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-west-african-diaspora | Tucked along the western edges of the world's most contested religious site, are the residencies of west Africa's oldest diaspora in the eastern Mediterranean. The west-African quarter of Jerusalem's old city is one of three major diasporic communities established by west African Muslims outside Africa, the other two a... | 2023-04-16T13:49:56+00:00 | {
"tokens": 5730
} |
Anti-slavery laws and Abolitionist thought in pre-colonial Africa | the view from Benin, Kongo, Songhai and Ethiopia. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/anti-slavery-laws-and-abolitionist | In 1516, the King of Benin imposed a ban on the exportation of slaves from his kingdom. While little is known about the original purpose of this embargo, its continued enforcement for over two centuries during the height of the Atlantic slave trade reveals the extent of anti-slavery laws in Africa.[1](https://www.afric... | 2024-03-31T16:35:42+00:00 | {
"tokens": 2178
} |
Roads and wheeled transport in African history. | Why the kingdoms of Kush and Dahomey used wheels while Asante did not. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/roads-and-wheel-transport-in-africa | The wheel is often regarded as one of humanity's greatest inventions, yet its historical significance remains a subject of considerable debate. Vehicles with wheels require good roads, but in most parts of the world, road construction could only be undertaken by large hegemonic states whose primary interest in building... | 2023-12-24T13:15:12+00:00 | {
"tokens": 7420
} |
When Africa discovered Europe | *my article for New Lines Magazine | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/when-africa-discovered-europe | When Africa discovered Europe - by isaac Samuel
===============
[](https://www.africanhistoryext... | 2023-04-02T13:03:53+00:00 | {
"tokens": 2200
} |
The myth of Mansa Musa's enslaved entourage | "Stories about his [Mansa Musa's] journey have numerous anecdotes which are not true and which the mind refuses to admit". | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-myth-of-mansa-musas-enslaved | The pilgrimage of Mansa Musa in 1324 is undoubtedly the most famous and most studied event in the history of the west-African middle ages. The ruler of the Mali empire has recently become a recognized figure in global history, in large part due to recent estimates that was the wealthiest man in history. Thanks to the a... | 2023-12-03T14:16:22+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8456
} |
The textile trade of pre-colonial Africa | In December 1633, a Dutch ship reached the fort of Nassau on the ‘Gold Coast’ (modern Ghana), carrying more than 6,000 pieces of cloth which was to be exchanged for gold. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-textile-trade-of-pre-colonial | In December 1633, a Dutch ship reached the fort of Nassau on the ‘Gold Coast’ (modern Ghana), carrying more than 6,000 pieces of cloth which was to be exchanged for gold. However, unlike most cloth imported to the West African coast at the time, this cloth didn't come from India or Europe, but from the West African kin... | 2024-11-10T18:04:41+00:00 | {
"tokens": 2644
} |
a brief note on Africa's Scientific Manuscripts | plus; the history of Medicine in Africa. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-africas-scientific | Among the oldest manuscripts and inscriptions written by Africans are documents relating to the study of science. The writing and application of scientific knowledge on the continent begun soon after the emergence of complex societies across the continent, from the ancient kingdoms of the middle Nile and the Ethiopian ... | 2023-09-30T16:14:01+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1123
} |
The heroic age in Darfur: a history of the pre-colonial kingdom of Darfur ca. 1500-1916. | The political marginalization of the Darfur region since the creation of colonial Sudan has resulted in one of the continent's longest-standing conflicts, which threatens to destroy the country's social fabric and its historical heritage. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-heroic-age-in-darfur-a-history | The political marginalization of the Darfur region since the creation of colonial Sudan has resulted in one of the continent's longest-standing conflicts, which threatens to destroy the country's social fabric and its historical heritage.
Just as the plight of modern Darfur continues to receive little attention, its h... | 2024-06-30T16:40:58+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9307
} |
A history of Zanzibar before the Omanis (600-1873) | Journal of African cities chapter 7 | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-zanzibar-before-the | For most of the 19th century, the western Indian ocean was controlled by a vast commercial empire whose capital was on the island of Zanzibar. The history of Zanzibar is often introduced with the shifting of the Omani capital from Muscat to Stone-town during the 1840s, disregarding most of its earlier history save for ... | 2023-03-26T14:55:11+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8092
} |
A muslim kingdom in the Ethiopian highlands: the history of Ifat and Adal ca. 1285-1520. | During the late Middle Ages, the northern Horn of Africa was home to some of the continent's most powerful dynasties, whose history significantly shaped the region's social landscape. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-muslim-kingdom-in-the-ethiopian | During the late Middle Ages, the northern Horn of Africa was home to some of the continent's most powerful dynasties, whose history significantly shaped the region's social landscape.
The history of one of these dynasties, often referred to as the Solomonids, has been sufficiently explored in many works of African his... | 2024-06-16T14:54:37+00:00 | {
"tokens": 7058
} |
A complete history of Madagascar and the island kingdom of Merina. | State and society on Africa's largest island. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-complete-history-of-madagascar | Lying about 400km off the coast of east Africa, the island of Madagascar has a remarkable history of human settlement and state formation. A few centuries after the beginning of the common era, a syncretized Afro-Asian society emerged on Madagascar, populating the island with plants and animals from both east Africa an... | 2023-08-13T14:31:08+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9287
} |
A history of the Rozvi kingdom (1680-1830) | From Changamire's expulsion of the Portuguese to the ruined cities of Zimbabwe. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-rozvi-kingdom-1680 | After nearly a century of unchallenged political dominance in south-eastern Africa, the Portuguese colonial project in the Mutapa kingdom was ended by the formidable armies of Chagamire Dombo, who went on to establish the Rozvi kingdom which covered most of modern Zimbabwe
The Rozvi era in southern Africa is one of th... | 2023-05-14T13:41:47+00:00 | {
"tokens": 7707
} |
State and society in southern Ethiopia: the Oromo kingdom of Jimma (ca. 1830-1932) | Modern Ethiopia is a diverse country comprised of many communities and languages, each with its history and contribution to the country's cultural heritage. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/state-and-society-in-southern-ethiopia | Modern Ethiopia is a diverse country comprised of many communities and languages, each with its history and contribution to the country's cultural heritage. While Ethiopian historiography is often focused on the historical developments in the northern regions of the country, some of the most significant events that sha... | 2024-01-28T14:59:52+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6010
} |
a brief note on the intellectual contributions of African scholars in the diaspora | the biography of a West African mathematician in Cairo. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-the-intellectual-e2d | Around the year 1198, the West African scholar Ibrahim al-Kanimi from the town of Bilma (in Niger) traveled to the Almohad capital Marakesh (in Morocco), and gained the audience of its sultan, before moving to Seville (in Spain) where he settled and became a celebrated grammarian and poet that appeared in many Andalusi... | 2024-04-14T16:18:33+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1908
} |
The colonial myth of 'Sub-Saharan Africa' in medieval Islamic geography: the view from Egypt and Bornu. | . | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-colonial-myth-of-sub-saharan | Few intellectual figures of the Muslim world were as prolific as the 15th-century Egyptian scholar Jalal al-Suyuti. A polymath with nearly a thousand books to his name and a larger-than-life personality who once claimed to be the most important scholar of his century, Jalal al-Suyuti is considered the most controversia... | 2024-02-11T15:45:22+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8929
} |
The stone ruins of South Africa: a history of Mapungubwe, Thulamela and Dzata. ca. 1000-1750CE. | The dzimbabwe ruins of south-eastern Africa are often described as the largest collection of stone monuments in Africa south of Nubia. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-stone-ruins-of-south-africa-a | The _**dzimbabwe**_ ruins of south-eastern Africa are often described as the largest collection of stone monuments in Africa south of Nubia. While the vast majority of the stone ruins are concentrated in the modern countries of Zimbabwe and Botswana, a significant number of them are found in South Africa, especially in... | 2024-08-25T14:19:16+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9718
} |
A general history of African explorers of the Old world, and a 19th century Bornu traveller of twenty countries across four continents. | This article provides a brief outline of over sixty African explorers who traveled across the ‘Old World’ from the classical period to the turn of the 20th century. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-general-history-of-african-explorers | This article provides a brief outline of over sixty African explorers who traveled across the ‘Old World’ from the classical period to the turn of the 20th century. The linked articles and the footnotes include sources on individual travelers for further reading.
In antiquity, African travelers and diasporic communiti... | 2024-10-13T17:15:45+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6445
} |
Mansa Musa and the royal pilgrimage tradition of west Africa: 11th-18th century | Why Africa's caravans of gold stopped travelling to Arabia. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/mansa-musa-and-the-royal-pilgrimage | The golden pilgrimage of Mansa Musa was a landmark event in west African history. Travelling 3,000 kilometers across Egypt and Arabia with a retinue of thousands carrying over a dozen tonnes of gold, the wealth of Mansa Musa left an indelible impression on many Arab and European writers who witnessed it and increased t... | 2023-01-01T13:01:08+00:00 | {
"tokens": 11717
} |
a brief note on the history of indigenous and foreign religions in African history, and the Kimpasi society of Kongo | The majority of Africans today primarily identify as Christians and Muslims of various denominations, with a relatively small fraction adhering to other belief systems often referred to as 'indigenous' or 'traditional' religions. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-the-history-of-indigenous | The majority of Africans today primarily identify as Christians and Muslims of various denominations, with a relatively small fraction adhering to other belief systems often referred to as 'indigenous' or 'traditional' religions.
The history of religion in Africa is as old and invariably complex as the history of its ... | 2024-08-18T15:46:44+00:00 | {
"tokens": 2252
} |
a brief note on Africa in 16th century global history. | the international relations and manuscripts of Kongo | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-africa-in-16th-century | The 16th century was one the most profound periods of change in Africa's international relations.
Africans had led the initiative in establishing international contact across Eurasia[1](https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-africa-in-16th-century#footnote-1-142265250), and the expansion of the Ottoman ... | 2024-03-03T16:30:13+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1709
} |
a brief note on the long history of African diplomacy. | historical links between west africa and the Maghreb. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-brief-note-on-the-long-history | In 1415, an embassy from the Swahili city of Malindi on the coast of Kenya carried with them a giraffe as a present to the Chinese emperor Yongle. The majestic creature, which was transported along with the Malindi envoys on the ships of admiral Zheng He, caused a sensation at the imperial capital Nanjing where it was ... | 2024-07-07T16:17:40+00:00 | {
"tokens": 1674
} |
A history of the Majeerteen Sultanate: 1700-1927. | Maritime trade and diplomacy in the northern Horn of Africa. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-majeerteen-sultanate | The north-eastern coast of Somalia was home to some of Africa's most dynamic maritime societies since antiquity. During the 18th century, the region was controlled by the Marjeerteen sultanate which became a major regional power linking the Somali mainland to the western Indian ocean.
From their fortified coastal town... | 2023-06-04T14:24:08+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6843
} |
Seafaring, trade and travel in the African Atlantic. ca. 1100-1900. | historical links between West Africa and Central Africa. (Africans exploring Africa chapter 4) | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/seafaring-trade-and-travel-in-the | Like all maritime societies, mastery of the ocean, was important for the societies of Africa's Atlantic coast, as was the mastery of the rest of their environment.
For many centuries, maritime activity along Africa's Atlantic coast played a major role in the region's political and economic life. While popular discours... | 2023-12-31T14:05:04+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8006
} |
A history of the Damagaram sultanate of Zinder: ca. 1730-1899. | Politics, Guns, and Trade in the pre-colonial Sahel | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-damagaram-sultanate | The political landscape of west Africa in the 19th century consisted of a patchwork of medium sized kingdoms centered around fortified capitals defended by the fearsome knights of the Sahara. The sultanate of Damagaram was among the most powerful states in the central region of west Africa in what is now modern Niger.
... | 2023-06-18T15:58:58+00:00 | {
"tokens": 6709
} |
The pyramids of ancient Nubia and Meroe: death on the Nile and the mortuary architecture of Kush | a complete history of an African monument | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-pyramids-of-ancient-nubia-and | Sudan is home to the world’s highest number of pyramids —the legacy of the kingdom of Kush, which undertook one of the most ambitious building programs of the ancient world. More than 200 pyramids spread over half a dozen cities were built by the rulers and officials of Kush over a period of 1,000 years.
These grand m... | 2023-02-19T13:30:12+00:00 | {
"tokens": 15074
} |
An enigmatic west African Art tradition: The 9th century bronze-works of Igbo Ukwu. | grave-goods of a priest-king | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/an-enigmatic-west-african-art-tradition | Over a period of less than a generation in the 9th century, a group of artists in a kingdom straddling the edge of the west African rainforest produced some of the world’s most sophisticated artworks in bronze, copper and terracotta, which they then interred in a rich burial of their priest-king.
This extraordinary ar... | 2022-11-06T15:51:55+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8800
} |
A history of the south-western Saharan towns of Tichitt, Walata, Wadan and Chinguetti (800-1912) | Trade and civilization on west-africa's desert frontier | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-south-western-saharan | Deep in the desert of the south-western Sahara lie four ancient towns with a rich history that spans over a millennium. The towns of Tichitt, Walata, Wadan, and Chinguetti were important nodes in west Africa's cultural and commercial networks which flourished under the empires of Mali and Songhai.
These towns were als... | 2023-04-30T14:20:12+00:00 | {
"tokens": 8219
} |
A history of the Buganda kingdom. | government in central Africa. | https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/a-history-of-the-buganda-kingdom | The land sheltered between the great lakes of east Africa was home to some of the continent's most dynamic kingdoms. Around five centuries ago, the kingdom of Buganda emerged along the northern shores of lake Victoria, growing into one of the region's most dominant political and cultural powers.
Buganda was a cosmopol... | 2023-07-30T16:30:11+00:00 | {
"tokens": 9036
} |
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