Classical Africa
description
Transcript of Classical Africa
• Nubian Culture: 6000B.C.E. - 1500C.E.
• Geography: junction of Blue and White Nile between 3rd & 6th cataract
• Avenue of Ideas: spread to Egypt> monarchy, totem, smelting
NubianNubian Kings Kings
• Piankhi:– led conquest of Egypt– combined ruler of Egypt & Nubia
• Taharka:– defeated Assyrians– mentioned in bible– revived architecture & literature
Candace: Title for Nubian Queen
Amarenas: One Eyed Candace
Defeated the Romans
Reasons for decline of Reasons for decline of NubiaNubia
• drought• rise in Kingdom of
Axum• Christian Nubia
joined in alliance with Crusaders
• conquered by Islamic Empire
Axum
AxumAxum
• Later became Abyssinia, then Ethiopia
•3,000,000 B.C.E. > Lucy or Dinknesh discovered in Eastern Ethiopia
Stone Hewn Stone Hewn Churches at Churches at
LalibelaLalibela
•1st Century C.E. > Christianity spreads to Axum
Celebration at Timkat
Attack & Isolation
•1540 > Muslim attack on Abyssinia fails, but they lose control of port cities on east coast
•1880’s Abyssinia remained independent while rest of Africa colonized
GriotGriot Keepers of
memories, oral historians
bards>combine history, music, poetry, dance, drama
•kept & passed on mental record of coronations, births, deaths, marriages, battles, etc.
KingdoKingdom of m of
GhanaGhana
• Salt Mines City of Taghaza =
major salt producing center of the Sahara
salt mines = forced labor by slaves (criminals or captives from war)
life expectancy in the mines = 2 years
Ghana’s Blacksmiths• mastery of metal work
in iron & gold revered & feared as
powerful magicians, (the power over the elements of the earth)
closed & secret society forge called “fan”,
means cosmic egg from which all life was born
forge >
four basic elements
•Fire, air, water, earth
Timbuktu
• Commercial Center• seat of Islamic
learning and culture• largest city in Mali &
Songhai Empires
Mansa Musa
•1307-1332• rebuilt capital, Timbuktu• pilgrimage to Mecca, 1324• established universities
Weavers of Mali• Respected & feared like
Ghana’s blacksmiths• loom symbolic of nature• believed the gods sent spider to
teach mankind magic of weaving
• Anansi, the spider, major character in West African mythology
Songhai or Songhay Empire
Songhai or Songhay Empire
• Began in 7th century along Niger river.
• great trading cities of Gao, Djenné, and Timbuktu.
B1
Askia MuhammadAskia Muhammad• king 1493-1528 • pilgrimage to
Mecca • Transformed
Songhai into an Islamic kingdom
African Civilizations• Were as advanced as European
civilizations during the Middle Ages• Stressed extended family ties• Were based on oral tradition• Were often matrilineal• Were weakened & destroyed by
the slave trade during the
1500’s