Western Africa to c. 1860 A.D.: a provisional historical schema based on climate periods

bibliographic database
Line

Book

Title:	Western Africa to c. 1860 A.D.: a provisional historical schema based on climate periods
Author:	Brooks, George E.
Year:	1985
Issue:	1
Language:	English
Series:	Working papers series
City of publisher:	Bloomington, IN
Publisher:	African Studies Program, Indiana University
Geographic term:	West Africa
Subjects:	climate history pre-Christian era 0-999 1000-1999
Abstract:	This study examines historical developments in western Africa during six climatic periods: c. 300 BC to c. AD 300, c. AD 300 to c. AD 700, c. AD 700-1100, c. AD 1100-1500, c. AD 1500-1630, and c. AD 1630-1860. Four categories of information are examined for each time period: climate changes and their consequences with respect to ecological zones; language groups, with particular reference to population movements and the diffusion of language; commercial activities, including trade routes, markets, exploitation of mineral and vegetable resources; and social and cultural factors, including the spread of Mande 'power associations' and tripartite social organization, the conquests of horse warriors and their influence on statebuilding, and the craft skills and verbal arts associated with 'nyamakalaw' groups. The schema demonstrates that numerous historical developments correlate with climate periods and/or were influenced by changes in rainfall patterns and ecological conditions.