West African Civilizations 500 – 1600 CE Regions of West Africa West African Civilizations 500 – 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 Trees have deep root systems 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. http://hope.icrisat.org/?tag=issfm

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 http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/newrels/africa-needs-jobs.html 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 Each building operates as a separate room: Kitchen Bedroom Storehouse In the Sudan, family compounds may be connected by walls made of mud, clay, and dung.

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. The starch from the cassava (manioc) root is used to make bread and tapioca.

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).