History of Nigeria (1500–1800)
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The history of the territories which since ca. 1900 have been known under the name of Nigeria during the pre-colonial period (16th to 18th centuries) was dominated by several powerful
Past archaeological digs have uncovered the fairly advanced lifestyle of some of the Hausa civilizations. Some were able to work iron which helped with tool and weapon making. They also showed a vast advancement in cultural expression which was rare for civilizations in the area around that time. Many of the settlements also contained expertly coursed stone walls which showed the need for either protection from animals or other settlements. These various settlements would later clash, craving a rise in power which may explain these elements uncovered in the archaeological sites.[1]
These kingdoms developed in the context of the trans-Saharan slave trade, but they peaked in power in the late 18th century, thriving on the Atlantic slave trade due to the great demand for slaves by the European colonies. During and after the
Savannah States
During the 16th century, the
Kanem-Bornu reached its apogee under mai
The earliest signs of external contact in the Hausa area, which would lead to the development of the pre-colonial period, are found via carbon dating. These sites are classified by archaeologists as hills, large-scale occupation sites, and iron-working sites – although the former two are lacking stratified evidence. Objects retrieved from burial mounds in the region, such as Carnelian beads, potentially originate from as far as India. Along with this, a dig near Birnin Leka uncovered an Arabic-inscribed pottery vessel. The first main exposure to external contact would begin to change the hierarchy of the Hausa life.
Ecological and political instability provided the background for the
Akwa Akpa
The city-state of
Igbo States
The
Igbo gods, like those of the
A popular theory that Igbos were stateless rests on the paucity of historical evidence of pre-colonial Igbo society. But, archaeological finds of Igbo Ukwu have revealed a rich material culture in the heart of the Igbo region in the 8th century, but there is little evidence to cover the period from then to the oral traditions of the 20th century. Benin exercised considerable influence on the western Igbo, who adopted many of the political structures familiar to the Yoruba-Benin region. Ofega was the queen for the Onitsha Igbo.
See also
- Hausa Kingdoms
- Sahelian Kingdoms
- African slave trade
- Trans-Saharan slave trade
- Atlantic slave trade
References
- ^
Sule, Abubakar (8 Dec 2014). "The archaeology of northern Nigeria: trade, people and polities, 1500 BP onwards". Azania. 49 (4): 439–. S2CID 162811398.
- ISBN 978-1-113-81057-1.
- ISBN 0-85255-918-6.
- ^ "The Middle Passage". National Great Blacks in Wax Museum. Archived from the original on 2010-10-23. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
- ISBN 0-674-01312-3.
- ISBN 1-57806-706-5.