MSCS NOTES

Ancient Aksum:
 Established in 400 BCE
 Served as a major hub between African, Arab, European and Indian Trade
communities.
 Had their own written language called Geez
 Printed their own coins to use as currency
 Population of over 50 thousand people
 Oldest and continuously inhabited city in Africa

Obelisk of Aksum:
 Built by Negus Ezana
 24 meters tall
 Ancient Obelisk are monolithic: consist of single large block of stone
 False doors at its base

Ancient Harar Jugol:

 It was a powerful kingdom from Ancient Abyssinia
 10 century CE
 Harari Kingdom was a trading society that connected merchants from
Ethiopian coasts and highlands
  Ancient Harar Jugol, also known simply as Harar Jugol or the Old City of
Harar, is a historic walled city located in the eastern part of Ethiopia. It is
often referred to as one of the most important cultural and historical sites in
the country. Here are some key points about Ancient Harar Jugol:
 • Historical Significance: Harar Jugol is considered one of the oldest
 cities in Ethiopia and is believed to have been founded in the 7th century. It
has a rich history and has been an important center for Islamic culture in the
Horn of Africa for centuries.
 UNESCO World Heritage Site: In 2006, Harar Jugol was designated as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its cultural and historical
significance. It is one of the most well-preserved ancient cities in Africa.
 Walled City: The Old City of Harar is surrounded by a 5.3- kilometer-long
(3.3-mile) wall, which was built in the 16th century to protect the city from
external threats. It has five historic gates.
 Cultural Diversity: Harar is known for its cultural diversity. It has been a
melting pot of different ethnic and religious groups for centuries, including
Muslims and Christians. The city has a unique blend of traditions and
customs.
 Architecture: Within the walled city, you can find a mix of
architectural styles, including traditional Harari houses with their distinctive
architectural features, narrow winding streets, and mosques.
• Cultural Festivals: Harar hosts various cultural festivals and events
throughout the year. The most famous is the Hyena Feeding Festival, which draws tourists
from around the world.
• Arthur Rimbaud's House: The French poet Arthur Rimbaud lived in Harar for a period
during the late 19th century. His former house in the city is now a museum dedicated to his
life and work.
• Coffee Culture: Harar is known for its coffee culture. It is believed to be one of the
birthplaces of coffee, and traditional coffee ceremonies are an important part of daily life
in the city.
• Tourism: Harar Jugol has become a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors
interested in its history, culture, and unique atmosphere.
The Kingdom of Zimbabwe:
 Established at about 1000 CE
 Formed by Kalanga people of present-day Zimbabwe,
 Botswana and South Africa
 Named after stone houses and massive walls surrounding the entire kingdom.
 Kingdom lasted until 1500 CE.
 Zimbabwe got its name after gaining independence from British in 1980.

Ancient Ghana:
 The kingdom of Ghana, (Wagadou) as it was called was a large and powerful
African kingdom located in the present-day Mauritania and Mali
 Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, was named so because of the
abundance of gold in the region. Gold trading dates back to the days of the
Trans-Saharan trade routes and the arrival of European explorers and
traders.
Trans-Saharan Trade:
 It refers to a historic network of trade routes that traversed the vast
Sahara Desert, connecting the Mediterranean region of North Africa
with the countries and regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. This trade
network facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, culture and people
between North Africa and the regions south of the Sahara Desert
Trans-Saharan Trade, also known as the Gold-Salt Trade.
 Islam was introduced to West Africa through Trans-Saharan trade
that’s why we can see heavy Islamic Culture in this region

Ajami:
 The mixture of Wolof words in Arabic script
TRADITIONAL AFRICAN ART:
 Traditional African Art combines stone, wood, clay. iron, brass, gold and other
materials.
 The items were used for purposes in each culture that created them.
 Examples of traditional African Art include masks, statues. paintings, and fabric.
 African Stone Art is the earliest form of traditional African Art.
 The earliest known stone art is a carving of giraffes found in Dabous. Niger, which
dates back to 6,500 BCE

Dabous Giraffe Rock Art;

 The Dabous Giraffes are in Niger by an unknown artist. Estimated completion 8000
BC, the giraffe carvings were first documented by David Coulson in 1997 while on a
photographic expedition to the site.
 The carving is 20 feet in height and consists of two giraffes carved into the Rock.
One of the giraffes is male, while the other, smaller, is female.
 In the surroundings 828 images have been found engraved on the rocks.

Traditional Wooden Art;

 Traditional art describes the most popular and studied forms of African art, which
are typically found in museum collections.
 Wooden masks, which might either be of human, animal or other creatures, are one
of the most commonly found forms of art in western Africa.
 During the 17th through 19th centuries, the ancient Kuba Kingdom was well known
for creating artwork and decorations.
 Around 1700 CE, the Kuba King introduced a new type of wooden sculpture called
an Ndop.
 Ndops are wooden carvings that were created to represent the king and elements of
his personality.
 Later kings had their own Ndops made to create their own legacy.
Some cultures, such as the Dan of present-day Ivory Coast, created ceremonial
masks made of solid wood and decorated with gold, copper, silver, and cowrie shells.
Most of the time, the masks were worn by special people in society like the king, or
other important people in the society.

Traditional Wooden Art;

 Another type of art used materials such as gold.
copper, iron, and other metals.
 The Nok civilization in present-day Nigeria and Benin created metallic art
form.
 The Nok civilization was one of the first civilizations on the African continent
to experiment with and eventually begin the African Iron Age around 1,500
BCE.
 • The African Iron Age was not like the Iron Ages of other non-African
cultures.
 • In Asian and European cultures, the Iron Age came after the Bronze Age
ended.
 • In the ancient African countries, iron, copper, gold, and other metals were
used at the same time.

Languages used in African Countries

 English: Uganda, Zambia, South Africa, Kenya

 French: Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Cameroon , Mali
 Portuguese: Angola and Mozambique
 Afrikaans: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland (Eswatini)
 Spanish: Equatorial Guinea

Causes that led to the colonization of Africa

 Industrial revolution in Europe took place between mid-1700 -mid 1800
 Shortage of Natural resources in Europe to produce goods.
 Population in Europe was quite high, especially in the cities.
 People lived in poor living condition and poverty was widespread.
People from Europe were sent to set up farms, mines and other types of
businesses.
Conflicts and Wars in Africa
 People from different countries of Europe claimed the same land and had
disputes
 Some of the disputes even led to war and fighting between countries.
 In 1984-85, diplomats from countries of Great Britain, France, Germany,
Italy, Belgium and Spain met in Berlin, Germany.
 The diplomatic conference agreed to divide the continent of Africa among
themselves to be ruled as colonies
 A Colony is a place far away from one country yet ruled as a part of that
country. Usually, the laws in a colony are based on the laws of the ruling
country, not the country that was colonized.