UNIT 3 ANCIENT AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS

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Bartholomew Brice Chambers
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1 Beginnings ANCIENT AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS UNIT 3 Early + Middle Stone Age Late Stone Age in West Africa (15, BC) Development of Agriculture in Ancient Africa Iron Age in Africa Bantu MigraMons

2 Early Stone Age 3 million to 35,000BC

3 Early stone age = 3 million to 35,000BC Homo Habilis! Oldowan Gorge East Africa! 1st tools discovered Simple = chipping flakes off a volcanic pebble to form sharp edge Homo Erectus = 1.5 million years = axe appeared (Acheulian) /climax of early stone age

4 150,000 years ago! change came at quick pace emergence of Middle stone age = Homo Sapiens 100,000 years human diversification adapt to all African environments

hooks and barbs for harpoons) new stone age allowed early Africans to

5 40,000 development of microlith (tiny stone) improvement in hunting techniques development = wide range of bone tools (needles, fish hooks and barbs for harpoons) new stone age allowed early Africans to settle in one place for longer periods (families,kinships and communities)

6 Middle Stone Age 3 million to 35,000BC

7 Middle STONE AGE IN WEST AFRICA (35,000 15,000 BC) last Ice Age = 20,000 10,000 BC West Africa = drier, sea levels lower Hunting and development of woodworking population increase dramatic pressure on need for food = increased need to harvest variety of grass seeds specialized fishing equipment crowing moment of this period = management techniques herds of wild animals

9 The late stone age in West Africa (15, BC)

The late stone age in West Africa (15,000 500 BC) world temperatures rose ice sheets retreated/ sea levels present levels

far back as 3000BC) evidence of RICE cultivation and animal husbandry (art of farming) migration north (2000 BC drier and less

10 The late stone age in West Africa (15, BC) world temperatures rose ice sheets retreated/ sea levels present levels microliths (for hunting) widespread in eastern part of West Africa (Ghana and Nigeria) pottery, ground stone axes and lithics (as far back as 3000BC) evidence of RICE cultivation and animal husbandry (art of farming) migration north (2000 BC drier and less rains) mixing of peoples = Fulani, the Berber and the Tuareg Asian Camel allowed the barrier between North and South of Sahara to be removed

After 2,000BC 2 MAJOR technological breakthroughts

crops and the raising of herds of animals (led to

painting/ decorative works with shells) # 2 =

11 After 2,000BC 2 MAJOR technological breakthroughts in African Communities # 1 = Cultivation of food crops and the raising of herds of animals (led to settlements and development of the arts rock painting/ decorative works with shells) # 2 = Production and use of metal tools and weapons (GOLD and IRON ORE)

12 contemporary art: A pair of glasses cast in gold by a 20th-century Ghanaian artist, with wire mesh in place of lenses, was an essential component of a chief's regalia. They had no optical function, but as symbols of political acuity and cosmopolitan taste, their magnification value was great.

13 Atlantic Coast West Africa (1600 BC) shell fish exploitation + ground axes (bone) Early Africans migrated north and south of present day Sahara

14 !They travelled by horse drawn carts and charriots (depicted on rock paintings)!2 main trails = north, west and south!goat and cattle domestication + yam and sorghum cultivation (West Africa)

as fodder plants, either cul6vated or as part of

15 Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants, either cul6vated or as part of pasture. The plants are cul6vated in warmer climates worldwide

16 development of agriculture in ancient Africa

penicilliary, finger millet, fonio and rice earliest known organized food production = along the NILE 15,000 years

18 early centres of agricultural development Afro- Mediterranean cradle (Egypt Morroco) cereals = wheat + barley, lentils, olive trees Nile Abyssinian Centre wheat, barley, sorghum + COFFEE West African Centre sorghum, penicilliary, finger millet, fonio and rice earliest known organized food production = along the NILE 15,000 years ago (long before the period of the Pharaohs) Central African Centre few cereals + tubers, leguminous plants and earth pea or groundnut

19 agriculture developed by trial and error process of selection and adaptation a gradual transition from hunting to farming deliberate plant productivity (agriculture) = 70,000 years southern Africa

21 agricultural achievements = -!domestication of cereals -!invention of pottery -!domestication of rice, sorghum, millet, shea butter, oil palm, gourds, calabashes, yams -!integration of agriculture with cattle keeping, raising and herding -!cows, sheep and goats used for - meat + milk

22 Iron Age in Africa

Archaeologists have determined that most of the life size terracotta heads, were sculpted by hand, which is evidence of an advanced artistic society in West African that existed contemporaneously

23 Iron Age in Africa The Ancient Nok Civilization The Nok civilization, existed as early as 1000 B.C., in what is now identified as Nigeria. The culture represents some of the earliest evidence of farming and iron smelting in Nigeria. Archaeologists have determined that most of the life size terracotta heads, were sculpted by hand, which is evidence of an advanced artistic society in West African that existed contemporaneously with Ancient Greece as well as Ancient Egypt and Kush as well as other North and East African civilizations. Far removed geographically from North and East African influence, it cannot be argued that cultures arriving from West Asia or Southern Europe had any direct influence on the advancement of this civilization, which makes it one of the most unique African civilizations during the first millennium B.C. This culture was thriving long before Herodotus began recording the history of the Northern portions of Africa, the area of the continent where his knowledge was limited to. Since no written evidence of this particular culture exists at the present, the history must be re-constructed based on the massive archaeological finds covering this era.

2000BC 100BC :'."&'5!;$'5(!$,5&*$.5#!.&,$+".!$'2!",)'!

24 !()-N' The Bantu 1 st discovered the use of IRON in West and Central Africa Bantu able to expand and colonize much of West, Central, East and South Africa between 2000BC 100BC :'."&'5!;$'5(!$,5&*$.5#!.&,$+".!$'2!",)'! superior agriculture and military tools axes, hoes and cutlasses + spears and arrows :'."&'5!;$'5(!0&$-)'#!

military power + surplus crop + felling of trees + clear bushes!

25 advantages of iron ' Advantages of "iron tools#= go deep into forests, open new trails, defend themselves against other humans and wild animals New source of military power + surplus crop + felling of trees + clear bushes! led to ABUNDANT FOOD IRON transformed the African continent TRADE (long distance) started to become important

26 Large states developed around market centers: Western Sudan (Ghana, Ife, Benin, Mali and Songhai) South Central Africa (Great Zimbabwe) East African Coast (Kilwa, Malindi, Mombassa, Bunyoro and Buganda) Read more: egyptsearchreloaded.proboards.com/ thread/229#ixzz2fkxybkwb

27 BANTU MIGRATIONS

29 Irigwe Miango Dancers Nigeria, descendants of the Bantu This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Nigeria, Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.

30 Bantu Knot hair style

The First People. The Big Idea Prehistoric people learned to adapt to their environment, to make simple tools, to use fire, and to use language.

The First People. The Big Idea Prehistoric people learned to adapt to their environment, to make simple tools, to use fire, and to use language. The First People The Big Idea Prehistoric people learned to adapt to their environment, to make simple tools, to use fire, and to use language. Main Ideas Scientists study the remains of early humans to