Iron technology first appears in the African continent in the 1st millennium BCE , and the term Iron Age is generally used, certainly south of the Sahara
When was iron discovered in East Africa?
Iron and copper working in Sub-Saharan Africa spread south and east from Central Africa in conjunction with the Bantu expansion, from the Cameroon region to the African Great Lakes in the 3rd century BC, reaching the Cape around AD 400 .
When did Iron Age start in Africa?
The African Iron Age, also known as the Early Iron Age Industrial Complex, is traditionally considered that period in Africa between the second century CE up to about 1000 CE when iron smelting was practiced.
How was iron introduced to Africa?
Iron smelting came into Central Africa from two directions. In the northwest the oldest source of the new knowledge was on the Nigerian plateau. ... The eastern tradition of smelting used furnaces as well as bellows to create the necessary draft with which to turn charcoal and ironstone into wrought iron and molten waste.
Who introduced iron metallurgy in Africa?
Iron smelting in Egypt was not known before the eighth century BC. There is no material evidence for early ironworking in North Africa, but it is presumed to have been introduced by Phoenician settlers in or after the ninth century BC (107).
Are we still in the Iron Age?
Our current archaeological three-age system – Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age – ends in the same place, and suggests that we haven’t yet left the iron age .
Is Iron Age BYOB?
No , they have a full bar.
Why was there no Bronze Age in Africa?
Unlike Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa lacks a Bronze Age, a period in which softer metals, such as copper, were made into artifacts . In Sub-Saharan Africa there is a Stone Age and an Iron Age. ... By 500 BCE, smelting and forging iron for tools were well-developed.
Why is it called Iron Age?
‘The Iron Age’ is the name given to the time period (from approximately 500 BC to 43 AD in Britain) where iron became the preferred choice of metal for making tools . ... In Britain the end of the Iron Age is linked to the spread of Roman culture following the Roman invasion of 43 AD.
How long were humans in the Stone Age?
Lasting roughly 2.5 million years , the Stone Age ended around 5,000 years ago when humans in the Near East began working with metal and making tools and weapons from bronze. During the Stone Age, humans shared the planet with a number of now-extinct hominin relatives, including Neanderthals and Denisovans.
Does Africa have iron?
Iron ore production in Africa is dominated by South Africa, Mauritania and Algeria . Many countries possess iron ore deposits that are as yet untapped/unmined.
What are traditional African storytellers called?
A griot is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet or musician. The griot is often seen as a leader due to his or her position as an advisor to royal personages. As a result of the former of these two functions, he or she is sometimes called a bard.
When was the Iron Age in Southern Africa?
The Southern African Iron Age began around 1 800 years ago , when the Ntu speaking (formerly known as Bantu) peoples moved into the area.
When was Iron Age started?
The Iron Age was a period in human history that started between 1200 B.C. and 600 B.C. , depending on the region, and followed the Stone Age and Bronze Age. During the Iron Age, people across much of Europe, Asia and parts of Africa began making tools and weapons from iron and steel.
Where did the Bantu migrate from?
The migration of the Bantu people from their origins in southern West Africa saw a gradual population movement sweep through the central, eastern, and southern parts of the continent starting in the mid-2nd millennium BCE and finally ending before 1500 CE.
What came after the Iron Age?
The end of the Iron Age is generally considered to coincide with the Roman Conquests, and history books tell us that it was succeeded by Antiquity and then the Middle Ages .
