Authoritative and Illuminating This comprehensive set covers African history from ancient times to 1850 as never before. In three volumes, each devoted to a major period in the continent's development, the encyclopedia spans the immense scope of African history, geography, art, cultures, peoples, personalities, and even its wildlife. Each volume's in-depth, heavily cross-referenced, and alphabetical entries draw students, researchers, and general readers into the histories of ancient cities, powerful kingdoms, and charismatic leaders, many of whom are little known. Filled with fascinating sidebars, unusual illustrations, and a recounting of oral traditions and histories, this attractive and readable encyclopedia is a source of authoritative information as well as an entertaining and illuminating guide to the world's most diverse continent. Ancient Africa This volume covers the earliest stages of Africa's history, from civilization's beginnings through the Metallic Age, the kingdoms of Egypt and Nubia, Africa's interaction with ancient Greece and Rome, and the rise of Kush and Aksum. African Kingdoms The focus of this volume is the period from approximately 500 through 1500, encompassing the powerful kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai along with the wealthy city-states of the west and south. From Conquest to Colonization Covering the period from approximately 1500 to 1850, this volume examines the Grain, Gold, and Slave Coasts; the rise of the slave trade; the partitioning of West Africa; and the traditional governments, religions, and arts of the regions. Ancient Africa (Prehistory to 500) Partial Table of Contents: Afterlife Age of Metals Agriculture Animals (domesticated, within African religions, in origin myths) Bantu-speaking People Berbers Beta Israel Book of the Dead Carthage Cleopatra Clothing and Body Adornment Congo River Deities Egypt Ethiopia Festivals Food Processing/Production Great Rift Valley Great Sphinx Hanno Hieroglyphics Human Origins Kenya Land of Punt Languages Medicine Mediterranean Sea Mero' Nile River Nubians Papyrus Phoenicians Religion Rites of Passage Sahara Secret Societies Textile Production Weapons Women. African Kingdoms (500-1500) Partial Table of Contents: Almoravid Bakongo (Congo People) Botswana Cairo Cameroons City-states Formation Congo Dakar Diamond Mines Disease East Africa Kingdoms Ennedi Rock Art Equatorial Africa Kingdoms Eritrea Ethiopia Forest Kingdoms Ghana (from 3rd c. CE) Hausa Kingdoms (Hausaland) Jenne-Jeno (old Djenne) Kanem-Bornu Kikyu Lower Guinea Coastal Kingdoms Madagascar Mali (from 11th c. CE) Mandinka Mauritania Money Muslims Natural Resources Niger Delta States Oyo Empire Queen Mothers and Female Regents South Africa Kingdoms Strait of Gibraltar Tanganyiki (Tanzania) Thumb Piano West Africa Kingdoms Zara Yakob (Emperor) Zimbabwe Zulu. From Conquest to Colonization (1500-1850) Partial Table of Contents: Anglo-Boer War Anglo-Dutch War of 1652 Bahima, Invaders of Uganda (14th-17th c.) Captives in War Central Africa Civil War Christianity Colonization (17th c.) Currency Diaspora Dutch Reformed Church Dutch West India Company/Dutch East India Company Enslaved Labor Eunuchs European Plantations European Exploration Fabrics Famine Fulani Empire Indian Ocean Trade International Trading Prince Henry the Navigator (1434) Jewish Refugees John Hawkins (16th c.) Kingdom of Kakongo (17th c.) Mamluks Marriage Military Oligarchy Rule Piracy Portuguese Alliance with Ethiopia (1542) Revolts and Rebellions River of Slaves (Niger Delta) Salt Mines Slavery Swahili Kingdoms Trading Stations and Forts Witchcraft. Excerpted from Encyclopedia of African History and Culture by Willie F. Page All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
