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Non Egyptian Ancient African Civilizations. World History Libertyville High School. Non-Egyptian East Africa: Nubia. Area between First through Fifth cataracts of Nile Conquered by Egypt around 2000 BC Served as major trading center between Egypt, African societies
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Non Egyptian Ancient African Civilizations World History Libertyville High School
Non-Egyptian East Africa: Nubia • Area between First through Fifth cataracts of Nile • Conquered by Egypt around 2000 BC • Served as major trading center between Egypt, African societies • After Egyptian New Kingdom failed, Nubians regained independence • Saw selves as TRUE Egyptians • Adopted Egyptian titles, customs • Invaded, ruled Egypt as pharaohs • Defeated by Assyrians
Sub-Saharan (Central and Southern) Africa to 600 BC • Political organization: none(family groups) • Hunter-gatherers • Technological development = stone, bone tech • Religion • Animism: spirits of natural world, animals, geographic locations
Why Didn’t Complex Society Develop in Sub Saharan Africa? • Persistence of hunter-gatherer bands • Abundance of game • Lack of external (human) threats to lifestyle = stayed the same • Lack of other food acquisition options • Lack of high yield crops = low incentive to farm • Lack of domesticable animals = no incentive to herd • Lack of irrigable waterways = no way to practice irrigation • Geographic considerations • Lack of natural harbors = no trade or contact with other civs • Geographic barriers (Sahara) assured isolation
Western Africa and the Sahara • Evidence of human settlers in W Africa from 12000 BC • Ca. 5000 BC, herders, dry farming communities • Ca 3000 BC, Sahara savannah began turning into a desert • Farmers, herders, migrated towards coasts • Desertification isolated W Africa coastal peoples
West African Societies • Urban Development • Earliest stone walled towns developed around 2000 BC • Towns emerged ca. 600-200 BC in Sahel (S of Sahara) • All towns in Sahel grew up around oases or rivers
Western Africa and the Sahara • Around 400 BC, contact re-established with North Africa & trade resumed • Traded gold from SW for salt, iron goods from N • Diffusion of iron production gave W Africans big advantage over neighbors • ability to expand farming • Made better weapons • Formed city-states and empires in the AD period • Bantu later expanded south
West African Societies • Bantu Migrations • Bantu = N-Central African language group • Migrated into equatorial rain forests & African Highlands • Imposed language, spread iron smelting & high yield agriculture (a.k.a. cultural diffusion!) • Founded Great Zimbabwe Kingdom around 800 AD