1. West African Civilizations 500 – 1600 CE
Regions of West Africa
West African Civilizations
500 – 1600 CE

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. Nomadic Lifestyle Tuareg people were originally nomadic
Live(d) in temporary tents made of either
Goat skin
Palm fiber

8. 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

9. Trade Caravans Experts at crossing the Sahara
Managed trans-Saharan trade between Arabs and Africans
Salt
Gold
Slaves
Metals

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Millet
In the Sahel region, millet is estimated to account for about percent of total cereal food consumption
The farmers to the right harvest and bundle pearl millet.

16. 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

17. 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

19. 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.

20. 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

21. Sorghum Sorghum often grown on the savanna
Used by humans to make flour, syrup, and beer
Also used as feed for poultry or cattle
Harvesting sorghum in Sudan

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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)

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. Family Compounds A family encloses its buildings: Adobe walls
Woven fencing
Buildings linked with common walkways

30. 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

31. 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.

32. Kola Nut The kola nut supplements the diet of rain forest dwellers.
It produces caffeine.
It’s used to flavor beverages (drinks)

33. Bananas and Plantains

34. 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

35. 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).