Unit 4 HISTORY - STUDY NOTES
Test 3/on DAY 4 October 31, 2013
Teacher: Yasser Musa (1C + 1D)
NUBIA video (see notes at below) and
Innovation, Science and Technology in Early African Civilizations.
1. Inland Niger Delta and the Middle Senegal Valley
2. Mathematics
3.Metallurgy
4. Astronomy
(Chapter 13 – pages 215 to 220)
Innovation, Science and Technology
in Early African Civilizations
Introduction
Archaeological evidence + Greek + Roman + Chinese + North African writers say –
That the continent of Africa contained very complex and organized societies
Series of empires, Kingdoms and City-states across the lenght and breadth of the continent
The Inland Niger Delta
and the Middle Senegal Valley
In the Inland Niger Delta scientists have uncovered evidence of a transformation from nomadism to settled life as far back as 10,000 to 5,000 BC.
Development of Agriculture allowed settlement, population increased, division of labor – It led to forms of social control = religion, law and order and political organization + surplus food led to trade
Susan McIntosh’s findings = permanent settlement around 2000BC (dry episode) – affected hydrology both Senegal and Niger Valleys people followed drainage systems
Middle Senegal Valley – practiced a mixed economy = herding, fishing, and some hunting
General examples of innovation, science and technology from early AFRICA
- FIRE = domestic use = 1,400,000 years ago
- TETRACYCLINE = used over 14 centuries ago
- CULTIVATION OF CEREALS = different locations 7000 years ago
- CATTLE DOMESTICATION = near Kenya 15,000 years ago
- GLIDER PLANE = 2300 years ago (from drawings uncovered)
- FLYING MACHINES = ancient Egyptians experiment 4th century
- STEEL MELTING = area of Tanzania 1500 to 2000 years ago
- ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY = near Kenya 300 BC
- MATHEMATICS =simple tally numbers, hieratic ciperization to complicated formulae
MATHEMATICS
Evidence: 8,000 year old bone with numbers
Found near an ancient fishing site called Ishango in Congo region of Africa
(some believe it is more than 20,000 years old)
These numbers may not be purely random and instead suggest some understanding of the principle ofmultiplicationanddivisionby two. The bone may therefore have been used as a counting tool for simple mathematical procedures.
Other examples of the use of Mathematics in Ancient Africa are - Architectural designs – found on granaries of the Dogon and Ancient Game MANCALA
METALLURGY
Ancient Africans discovered various types of metals including tin, silver, bronze, brass and iron/steel. In 1978 Peter Schmidt announced – that between 1500 – 2000 years ago who lived near Lake Victoria had discovered carbon steel
ASTRONOMY
Also in 1978 a astronomic observatory was uncovered on the edge of Lake Turkana in Kenya. It was an African type stonehenge with huge pilars of basalt. Dated 300 years before Christ. It is called Namoratunga – represented an accurate and complex calendar system
NUBIA VIDEO
(notes by Jaylen Young/ 1D)
Nubia is an ancient civilization in Africa. Nubia is located in western Africa in Southern Egypt and Northern Sudan. The Nile River runs through it.
Meroe is an ancient city ruled by the Nubians were they, early on, used Egyptian customs but later replaced by their own. There they developed a series of writing called Meroitic. Near Meroe three royal cemeteries were constructed. South Cemetery features nine royal pyramids. Four of the pyramids belonged to Kings and five belonged to queens. One hundred and ninety-five other tombs complete the cemetery.Over thousands of years the Sahara Desert started to move further down which aided with the fall of the Nubian civilization especially Meroe because the desert became hotter, crops died out, the water dried up and their animals began to die as well.
The Sahara Desert is now a large portion of Africa however as we now know, it did not start out that way. Most of it was lush with vegetation, and water making there an ideal place to live.
Ancient Rock Gong Drums rock gongs are large slabs of stone that when stroked with another stone it makes a metallic sound. It was used as drums for the Nubians, the first rock gong was discovered in 1892.
Rock art (cattle paintings) was the first form of art, which usually depicted cattle, was used by Nubians to tell about their everyday life of herding cattle.
Camels were imported from Asia (Arabia), tamed and herded when the Sahara desert began eating away at the Nubian communities and made it impossible to live in. The camels aided them when they became Nomadic.
Cattle Dance was performed at ceremonies, it sacred to them. This dance is done by having hat like object worn on the head with horns coming out of the sides and shells tied together on both shins.
Wrestling was a sport of theirs, it was known as gladiating which back then was a bloody sport but now they just do for fun and not to hurt or kill the opponent.
someachivements of Ancient NUBIA =
Agriculture was prominent in the times when they flourished; it was the basis of their lives. Crops such as Cereal, barley and millet was produced.
Iron was also developed in Meroe and impacted their lives tremendously, now they had better agricultural and military tools (swords, hoes, axes, spears…etc.) that help them to become more powerful and advance.
Ancient Architecture for the Nubians were very magnificent and beautiful, they built sky-high pyramids, temples and housing for the kings. On their creation carefully carved art was applied on the inside and outside of their buildings. This art would represent their culture, beliefs and history.
Black Pharaohslike Piye ruled Nubia, Piye believed that he was the rightful ruler of Egypt and that the Egyptians were not respecting him so he waged war on them, he conquered every army in his way. Ancient NUBIA ruled Egypt for over 100 years.