Africa has a rich pre-history dating back millions of years. The earliest evidence of human-like creatures in Africa is found in eastern and southern Africa, where fossils of Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and Homo sapiens have been discovered. The following is a brief overview of African pre-history up to 500 B.C.
1) Early Stone Age (2.6 million years ago – 50,000 BCE): The earliest stone tools were made by Homo habilis around 2.6 million years ago. These early humans were found in eastern Africa, and they lived by hunting, gathering, and scavenging.
2) Middle Stone Age (50,000 BCE – 10,000 BCE): During the Middle Stone Age, people started to use more sophisticated stone tools, including blades and points. These tools were used for hunting, fishing, and gathering.
3) Later Stone Age (10,000 BCE – 2,000 BCE): In the Later Stone Age, people continued to use stone tools, but they also began to make pottery and use domesticated animals. They lived in caves and rock shelters, and some groups started to settle in villages.
4) Neolithic Period (6,000 BCE – 2,000 BCE): During the Neolithic Period, people began to cultivate crops and domesticate animals. They lived in more permanent settlements and developed social and economic systems.
5) Iron Age (500 BCE): Around 500 BCE, ironworking technology reached Africa, and this period marks the beginning of the Iron Age. Iron tools and weapons became widespread, and some societies developed complex political structures, such as kingdoms and empires.
Throughout this pre-historic period, Africa was home to a diverse range of societies, with different cultural practices, languages, and technologies. Some of the notable archaeological sites from this period include the Blombos Cave in South Africa, the Nubian Pyramids in Sudan, and the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.
Beginning of village/community life
The period up to 500 B.C., which is characterized by the emergence of village and community life.
During this time, Africa was inhabited by various groups of people who lived as hunter-gatherers, moving from place to place in search of food and resources. These early humans left behind evidence of their existence in the form of rock art, tools, and other artifacts.
Around 10,000 B.C., the climate in Africa began to change, becoming more humid and supporting the growth of grasslands and savannas. This led to an increase in the population of large animals, which in turn provided a reliable source of food for early humans.
As the population grew, so did the need for more permanent settlements. Around 5,000 B.C., the first agricultural communities began to emerge in parts of Africa, such as the Nile Valley and the Sahara. These early farmers cultivated crops such as wheat, barley, and sorghum, and raised livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats.
By 3,000 B.C., the Nile Valley had developed a complex civilization, with large cities and centralized government. The Nubian kingdom of Kush, which emerged in what is now Sudan, traded with Egypt and other parts of Africa, as well as with civilizations in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Around 2,500 B.C., the Bantu-speaking peoples began to migrate from West Africa, spreading their language and culture throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa over the next few thousand years. The Bantu people were skilled farmers and ironworkers, and their migration helped to spread agriculture and ironworking throughout the continent.
By 500 B.C., many parts of Africa had developed complex societies with centralized governments, social hierarchies, and long-distance trade networks. The emergence of village and community life marked a major turning point in African history, paving the way for the development of more complex civilizations in the centuries to come.
