Glossary and Terms of Ancient Africa

Adobe –
A type of ancient African mud brick used to build dwellings and walls out of clay and straw.

The Aksum Empire
A Horn of Africa-based empire that existed from 100 CE to 940 CE. Axum was another name for it.

Arabs –
A Middle Eastern people tribe that swept into and took control of North Africa in the year 700 CE.

A Berber.
The indigenous inhabitants of North Africa.

Boers –
French and Dutch colonists in South Africa.

A caravan
Usually camels are used by a group of traders to cross the desert.

Carthage –
A powerful city-state in North Africa on coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It competed with Rome from 650 until 146 BCE.

Caste –
A peoples’ division or group that establishes social standing.

The chariot
A two-wheeled vehicle pulled by a horse or horses. In northern Africa, it was frequently employed in combat.

The continent
A huge area of land that never ends. One of the continents of the Earth is Africa.

Fufu –
The country’s main dietary staple. It is produced using yams.

The Ghana Empire
West African empire that governed between 300 and 1100 CE.

Excellent Zimbabwe
Starting around 1200 CE, a sizable city governed Central Africa.

Griot –
A West African historian, singer, and storyteller.

The Hieroglyphics
An Egyptian writing system that made use of symbols and images.

Islam –
A faith that adheres to both the teachings of the prophet Muhammad and the worship of Allah. In the 700s, it migrated to North Africa.

Ivory –
A tough, white substance made from the tusks of various animals, such elephants. Jewelry and other items were fashioned out of it.

Kora –
A stringed instrument that the griots played, like a harp.

Kush –
A former state that governed the region of the Sudan south of Egypt. It held power about 1070 BCE until the 300s CE. Nubia is another name for it.

Maghreb
The portion of North Africa extending from Mauritania to Libya.

The Mali Empire
Empire that controlled over West Africa between 1235 and 1600. Sundiata the King established the.

Mansa Musa
Emperor of the Mali Empire who traveled to Mecca in Saudi Arabia on a well-known pilgrimage. He was among the wealthiest individuals in history.

Moors –
After 709 CE, the people of North Africa were ruled by Islam.

Islam –
A person who practices Islam as a religion.

Nomads –
People who move about looking for food and pasture for their animals.

Nyama –
A supernatural energy believed to be utilised by craftsmen like blacksmiths in traditional African religion.

The pharaoh
The Egyptian monarch or king.

Pyramid
A massive construction with four sides that converge at a summit point. Pyramids were usually built as pharaohs’ tombs by the Egyptians and Kushites.

The rainforest
A thick forest occurs where there is a lot of rain. Africa’s center and western regions contain some rainforest.

Sahel –
The area straddling the Sahara Desert and the savanna grasslands.

Sahara Desert –
Between the Mediterranean Sea and Central/West Africa, there is a sizable desert in North Africa.

The Songhai Empire
Empire in charge in West Africa between 1464 and 1591.

Swahili –
An East African ethnic group. Moreover, the language spoken in many countries in East Africa, including as Kenya and Uganda.

The Voortrekker
A Boer who went to the Boer Republics from British-controlled territory in South Africa.