regions of west africa west african civilizations 500 – 1600 ce
TRANSCRIPT
Regions of West AfricaWest African Civilizations500 – 1600 CE
Desert Region• Hot, dry climate• Daytime temperature =
100-140 o F • Night time lows may reach
freezing or lower• Rainfall 1-4l 4 inches per
year• Size of the Sahara limited
the influence of Africans on Europeans and vice versa
Ergs & Regs• Ergs= sand dunes• Regs= plains of sand
mixed with red, black or white gravel
Above is a picture of a reg in the Western Sahara. To the right is a reg with rock outcroppings in the distance.
Chotts• Chotts= depressions
in the Sahara that accumulate salt as moisture evaporates in the spring and summer
• Salt is the most important trade item of the Sahara
Sparse Vegetation• Few trees
• Doum palm• Date palm• Acacia tree
• Trees have deep root systems• Up to 80 ft.
underground
• Scrub brush is the most common vegetation
Tuareg People• Pronounce TWAH-
reg• Call themselves “the
blue people”• Loose cotton or linen
clothing, often indigo or light blue• Protects head, face,
and arms from wind and heat
Although the Sahara is sparsely populated, the Tuareg call it home.
Nomadic Lifestyle• Tuareg people were
originally nomadic• Live(d) in temporary
tents made of either• Goat skin• Palm fiber
Ships of the Desert
• Too vast to cross by foot
• Extremely harsh conditions
• Few natural landmarks• Camels essential for
survival in the Sahara• Carry heavy loads• Up to 17 days w/out food
or water
Trade Caravans• Experts at crossing
the Sahara• Managed trans-
Saharan trade between Arabs and Africans• Salt• Gold• Slaves• Metals
Semiarid Region
• Harsh, barren grasslands• Sparse rainfall 10”-20”
per year• Unpredictable droughts• Hearty plants
• Small, thorny bushes• Waxy leaves• Tufts of scattered, stumpy
grass
Sahel• In the north, the
edge of the Sahara is called the sahel.
• Sahel means “shore of the desert”
• It is the semiarid region of North and West Africa
Baobob Tree• Cork-like bark is fire
resistant• Can reach 100 feet• Can survive droughts• Mature trees hollow
out to provide shelter animals or people
• Produces fruit, called “monkey bread” which is rich in vitamin C
Monkey Bread
Limited Farming• Only two permanent
bodies of water in semiarid region:• Niger River• Lake Chad
• Villages are often constructed along the banks of the Niger
• limited farming
Millet• In the Sahel region,
millet is estimated to account for about 35-65 percent of total cereal food consumption
• The farmers to the right harvest and bundle pearl millet.
Peanuts• Also known as
ground nuts • Part of the legume
(bean) family• Indigenous to the
Americas, but have become very popular in Africa in modern times
Herding Animals• Most people in the
region herd goats, sheep, or camels
• Rely on ancient wells, waterholes, rivers, streams, and lakes for water
• Water sacks made of animal bladders & leather
Savanna Regions
• Most diverse climate zone in Africa
• One predictable wet season
• One dry season• Densely populated• Diverse human
adaptations Acacia trees dot the savanna’s horizon at intervals between the tall grass.
Fishing and Farming
• Along the Niger River or beside Lake Chad, Fishing and small-scale farming are the basis of the economy
• Staple crops:• Millet• Rice• sorghum
Sorghum• Sorghum often
grown on the savanna
• Used by humans to make flour, syrup, and beer
• Also used as feed for poultry or cattle
Harvesting sorghum in Sudan
African Rice• African rice was one
of the staple grains grown by farmers of the savanna
Picture credit: Weller, Keith. Paleoethnobotany Research Guide. Digital image. - Journals and Articles. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.
Storing Grains
• Each village has at least one granary
• Granaries are storehouse for grains
• Typically elevated to keep grains dry
• Saved and used during the dry season
Herding Cattle• Most people herd
livestock because they produce:• Milk• Meat• Hides
• To a lesser extent some hunters follow the wild herds of zebra, gazelle, etc.
Housing
• Dwellings vary • People use the materials
that are readily available:– Woodland Savanna (forest
mixed with grasses)– Acacia Savanna (smaller
trees mixed with grasses)– Bushveld Savanna (baobob
trees with mixed shrubs and succulents)
Building a Hut/Room
• A wooden frame is constructed
• Insulation is added• Wet adobe is
applied • Structure dries• Thatched roof is
attached
This photograph was taken by a Western anthropologist in Nigeria between 1920 and 1947.
African Architecture
In the Sudan, family compounds may be connected by walls made of mud, clay, and dung.
Each building operates as a separate room:• Kitchen• Bedroom• Storehouse
Family Compounds• A family encloses its
buildings:• Adobe walls• Woven fencing
• Buildings linked with common walkways
Rain Forest Regions
• Cover 8% of Africa• Rainfall 60” or more
per year• Average temperature
70-90o F• Diverse plant life• Very limited
cultivation due to top soil erosion from rain
Tubers• Root, or tuber, crops
can be raised• Cassava (a.k.a. manioc)• Yams
• In the Niger River basin, yams are a popular tuber plant and a staple food.
Kola Nut• The kola nut
supplements the diet of rain forest dwellers.
• It produces caffeine.• It’s used to flavor
beverages (drinks)
Bananas and Plantains
Hunting & Fishing• Hunting is important
to the nomadic and semi-nomadic people of the rain forest
• Men traditionally use bows & arrows to hunt: monkeys, squirrels, and birds
• Women and girls do most of the fishing
Tse-tse Fly
• The bite of the tse-tse fly causes sleeping sickness in humans
• It is fatal for domestic animals, like cattle and horses (ungulates).