This map is really incomplete and misses out on some of the more interesting civilisations on the continent. For example the Ajuran Sultanate was the only hydraulic empire in Africa and exercised control over both nomadic and settled peoples by monopolising the water resources of the Shebelle and Jubba rivers. Through hydraulic engineering, it also constructed many of the limestone wells and cisterns for nomadic herders and a system of irrigation ditches known locally as Kelliyo fed directly from the Shebelle and Jubba rivers into the plantations where sorghum, maize, beans, grain and cotton were grown. It's so interesting as the entire state managed to maintain adminstration and control over what would typically be decentralised tribal peoples by controlling the supply of water.
I wish this was taught in introductory history classes. The anglocentric historical narrative I received in school was racist, insulting, oversimplified to the point of absurdity, and was internalized and regurgitated practically without question, especially after 9/11
if education provided a framework for understanding the progression of human achievement and how ideas, technologies, and resources were discovered, spread, and in turn altered and were altered by all of the hundreds of advanced civilizations that have existed globally for thousands of years, it would be much easier to refute the neocolonial and imperialist ideas underpinning present day fascism and xenophobia. at the very least we'd have fewer people believing in ancient aliens.
This map is really incomplete and misses out on some of the more interesting civilisations on the continent. For example the Ajuran Sultanate was the only hydraulic empire in Africa and exercised control over both nomadic and settled peoples by monopolising the water resources of the Shebelle and Jubba rivers. Through hydraulic engineering, it also constructed many of the limestone wells and cisterns for nomadic herders and a system of irrigation ditches known locally as Kelliyo fed directly from the Shebelle and Jubba rivers into the plantations where sorghum, maize, beans, grain and cotton were grown. It's so interesting as the entire state managed to maintain adminstration and control over what would typically be decentralised tribal peoples by controlling the supply of water.
Sounds amazing, I think I'll make a post about them so other people can see it.
I wish this was taught in introductory history classes. The anglocentric historical narrative I received in school was racist, insulting, oversimplified to the point of absurdity, and was internalized and regurgitated practically without question, especially after 9/11
if education provided a framework for understanding the progression of human achievement and how ideas, technologies, and resources were discovered, spread, and in turn altered and were altered by all of the hundreds of advanced civilizations that have existed globally for thousands of years, it would be much easier to refute the neocolonial and imperialist ideas underpinning present day fascism and xenophobia. at the very least we'd have fewer people believing in ancient aliens.
I'd like to subscribe to Cool Civilization Facts
this rules i wanna learn more! thanks for sharing!