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Now newly revised, this invaluable reference work provides a succinct account of the development of African society from the first appearance of man to the complex polity of today. Kingdoms and Empires are only part of the story. The atlas covers the development of modern man, the differentiation and spread of African languages, the first crossings of the Sahara, the exploration of the Niger, and the search for 'the fountains of the Nile'. Gold and ivory lure traders from far away; Christendom and Islam compete for African attention. Names from the distant past become nation-states with aspirations appropriate to the modern world. Using the formula successfully established in his previous historical atlases, Colin McEvedy outlines this progress with the aid of sixty maps and a clear, concise text. Though his synthesis will be especially useful to those involved in the teaching of African history, its broad perspectives will undoubtedly appeal also to the general reader.… (more)
User reviews
Of particular interest was southern Africa. The stretch of time where nothing appears to happen is staggering. I was reminded of my thoughts on the British Isles where reading the Atlas of Ancient History. You suddenly realise how backwards and isolated the islands have been for most of their history with the delayed arrival of the Bronze and Iron
Ages, and the Renaissance of course. In southern Africa you have no metal working until the colonial period. Why doesn’t it transmit south along the east coast and then inland? This book does not provide answers. There’s no space for anything more than a summary of events and for this area, for most of the history, there’s nothing more than a vague indication of ethnic groups’ territories. There is no real ‘history’ because there was no way to write it down. This book is as old as me though, and perhaps archaeology has since shed more light.
A good format and a good introduction to the subject.