art

What Is the True History of Africa Before Colonialism? | Think Africa

The true history of Africa before colonialism is far older, deeper, and more influential than most people realise. Africa is the birthplace of humanity, with evidence showing that modern humans, language, symbolic thought, and early technology all emerged on the continent. Long before colonial rule or the transatlantic slave trade, African societies had already developed complex trade networks, systems of governance, scientific knowledge, and powerful civilizations such as Egypt, Nubia, Mali, Benin, and the Swahili city-states. Understanding African history before colonialism reveals a continuous story of innovation, culture, and global influence that shaped the foundations of human civilization itself.

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Hidden Contributions of Enslaved Persons to Industrialisation, Science and Medicine

The trans-Atlantic slave trade and the institution of slavery in North, Central, and South America subjected enslaved Africans to horrendous experiences and unspeakable suffering. These individuals were forcibly uprooted from their homes, torn apart from their families, and subjected to brutal conditions that dehumanized them. The harrowing journey across the Atlantic, known as the Middle

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Origins Of The Zulu Kingdom

The Zulu Kingdom of the 19th century was a monarchy along the Indian Ocean, stretching from the Tugela River in the south to the Pongola River in the north, with an estimated population of 250,000 over 30,000 square kilometers (11,500 square miles). Cattle served as the main currency. Unique cultural practices included Nguni stick fighting,

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Who are the Bantu Africans?

Welcome to the world of Bantu-speaking Africans—over 400 unique ethnic groups, speaking a stunning array of languages and living across Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa. To call the Bantu a “tribe” would be like calling all of Europe “one neighborhood.” The Bantu are bound not by a single identity but by a vast linguistic and

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The Ndebele People: their origins, social structure, architecture and beliefs

The Ndebele people: An introduction to various aspects of Ndebele culture, including their origins, political and social organization, clothing and adornments, architecture and arts, initiation practices, courtship and marriage customs, and Ndebele beliefs. The Ndebele people identify as one of the Nguni tribes and make up a significant portion of the country’s Black population. The

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Were the Ancient Egyptians black?

Were the Ancient Egyptians black? And… Were the Ancient Egyptians African? These are controversial questions. To answer the questions, we need to agree certain things first. We even need to agree “Who are Africans?” for instance, as odd as that may seem?   In modern logic, Africans tend to be those who are either first,

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African Civilisations

Africa’s Civilizations: Paving The Path For The Growth Of Other Civilizations World Wide Most of the people have been falsely taught that the ancient Africans had little or nothing to do with the development and progression of civilization. This couldn’t be more wrong, for a massive number of sources shows that the origins of several

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Twelve Ways Africa Used Art

Africa’s indulgence in art predates history. Tens of thousands of years ago they were the first humans to create works of art (see Africa’s inventions: art and paints). Until the renaissance which coincided with European contact and more intensive trade with Africa, Africa’s artworks were traditionally and intentionally created to serve purposes, and not necessarily

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Africa’s art materials

African art predates written history. From tens of thousands of years before recorded history people in Africa have been creating various works of art utilizing different materials. This is not particularly surprising given that the modern homo sapiens originated from Africa. The oldest art in the world was a shell necklace found in the Cave

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Mamluk Sultanate (1250-1517 CE): Never let a Megalomaniac get in the way of beautiful architecture

Some civilisations sacrificed a work-life balance, art and architectural brilliance to focus on winning wars. One African dynasty found time to fight the Mongol empire and build insane works of beautiful architecture at the same time. “Mamluk” comes from the Arabic “owned” or slave. The Mamluk sultanate was created by slave soldiers and administrators that took over Egypt from the Ayyubid dynasty.

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