Introduction

Africa has been home to many peoples and cultures since ancient times. The African continent is thought to be
the oldest inhabited continent on Earth and is believed to be the place where humans first originated. There is
evidence of the evolution of the human species in eastern and southern Africa. See image 1. This chapter
outlines some of the main aspects of African culture before the arrival of the Europeans and colonial settlements.

Agriculture
In early Africa, there were vast amounts of land and only very small populations. It is thought that around 10 000
years ago humans gradually began to cultivate crops and domesticate animals. Such developments led to the
establishment of more permanent settlements and a growth in population. Communities that cultivated crops were
able to trade surplus (extra) crops with communities that still relied on hunting and gathering. It is thought that
between 6000 BC and 4000 BC agriculture spread south of the Sahara Desert. Wheat, barley, sorghum and millet
were the main agricultural crops and pre-colonial African societies often worked with metals such as tin and iron.

Movement of people
It is thought that between 1000 BC and 800 BC Bantu-speaking peoples started to migrate through sub-Saharan
Africa (the region of Africa south of the Sahara Desert). The Bantu are thought to have originated in West Africa.
Their migration took over 2000 years and is believed to have been one of the largest human migrations in history.

Religion
There are many different indigenous African religious practices, although some share common elements. Many
religions believe in one god, or in the presence of spirits. Influences from other parts of the world, however,
resulted in the spread of Christianity and Islam.

By the 1st century AD, Rome had conquered Egypt and other areas of North Africa and as a result Christianity
spread. From around 650 AD the Arabs conquered much of northern Africa and Islam quickly spread. By around
1500 AD Islam had spread to many areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

Trade
The Sahara Desert divides the continent of Africa into North and sub-Saharan Africa.See image 2. For many
centuries the Sahara was almost impossible to cross. It is thought that the Persians introduced the camel into
Egypt around 500 BC and trade then increased between regions to the north and south of the desert. See image
3.Items traded included precious metals, salt and ivory. Slaves were also traded by indigenous peoples in pre-
colonial Africa and many slaves were taken as a result of battles between kingdoms. It is thought that from around
870 AD slaves were traded between Arab traders and West African kingdoms.

Outside influences in pre-colonial Africa

Mediterranean countries came into contact with Africa through sea trade routes, which linked Africa with Europe
and Asia. The Romans had conquered North Africa in around 50 BC. Rome was influential in northern Africa for
about 400 years, until the Roman Empire fell. The Greeks and the Phoenicians (from modern-day Lebanon) were
early traders in Africa.