Early African Civilizations

Birthplace of Humanity: Northeast Africa

• Egypt as the location of the first civilization.
• Historical research, archaeology, and carbon dating are used to determine the age of civilizations.

Timeline

• BCE (Before Common Era): Numbers increase as you go further back in time from zero.

Nubia (6000 BCE)

• Located in present-day Egypt.
• Wealthy civilization with structures and pyramids.
• Evidence of city-like structures.
• Hieroglyphs: Help understand the civilization's history.
• Tombs: Organized burial of the dead, indicating a functioning civilization.
• Located along the Nile River.

Aksum

• South of Nubia, along the Red Sea (modern-day Ethiopia).
• Terrace farming: Farming on sloped ground using platforms.
• Trading center/port city due to its location on the Red Sea.

Libyans (Berbers)

• Located on the Mediterranean Coast (Northern Africa, near Egypt and Libya).
• Military activity and centralized government.

Sub-Saharan Africa

• Modern Nigeria: Nok civilization.
  • Ironworking: Made weapons and tools, providing an advantage in warfare and agriculture.
• Modern Mali: Djenne-Djeno.
  • Oldest known city in Sub-Saharan Africa, located along the Niger River.
  • Estimated population of 50,000 people.
  • Evidence of iron, rice, and pottery.
• Nigeria and Cameroon: Bantu civilization.
  • Slash and burn agriculture: Clearing land for crops and civilization.
  • Evidence of iron tools and livestock (goats and sheep).

Common Denominators in Early African Civilizations

• Water: Essential for survival and trade.
  • Civilizations located along the Niger River, Nile River, Red Sea, and Mediterranean Sea.
• Artifacts and Language: Discovery of tools, hieroglyphs, and pictures help us understand civilizations.

Archaeological Discovery

• Uncovering cities and estimating the size of the civilization based on the outline of structures.
• Water systems were crucial for the existence and thriving of early African civilizations.