Lower Africa Timeline

Mapungabwe Tribe was Thriving

1050 BCE

Mapungabwe started to form in botswana. That colony is where present day zimbabwe is. They thrived over agriculture, trade, and livestock. The most important activities the Mapungabwe tribe did were ivory hunting, copper mining, and trade in gold. They were big on making things like jewelry, pottery, and sculptures. The main people they traded with were the Swahili coast. The Mapungabwe would trade their items for cloth, beads, celadon. They died down due to the rise of Zimbabwe.

Main events in Lower Africa 1

200 BCE

In Nambia during 850AD there was a supposed farming settlement and they found evidence of bone and pottery from all the way up in the northern region. That was close to 900 when in Mozambique trade was opened up with India, Asia, Persia, and the Arab. Around that time in 1000 AD is when the Shona Empire grew in lower Africa. The Iron age started in 1200 BC and the iron age farmers started smelting iron and creating tools.

Botswana making Iron

20 BCE

Around 20 BCE farmers in botswana started making iron tools. Bantu languages were the main way to communicate. They built small beehive shaped huts to live that were made out of matted grass. Which is when the iron age was started earlier down the line. There are a lot of old drawings in the Tsodilo hills. The painting were once assumed to be made by hunters remote from other farmer contact.

Hunters and gatherers arrive in Zimbabwe

200

During 200, Zimbabwe was populated by hunters and gatherers. These people were excellent at stone work and very good hunters. Later, during the 400s Bantu speakers came into Zimbabwe and started to make the country better. They started what is often called the Iron Age inside of Zimbabwe, this later escalated into Great Zimbabwe and the Golden age. The bantu brought iron, pottery, cattle, crops, and even more. Bantu coming to Africa was very important because of the development of trade posts.

Bantu-Speaking Tribes move into Mozambique region

200

Around the 200s, Bantu speaking tribes moved into the Mozambique region. They moved in from west-central Africa. This movement is responsible for most of the population in lower and southern Africa. These tribes were very good at iron working, so they were able to farm things easily. They mainly used agriculture and cattle. However, their movement wasn’t peaceful, and it often resulted in lots of violence and fighting. While other tribes were killed by them, other tribes joined them.

Arab traders arrive in Zimbabwe

600

During aroud 600, Arab traders would go into Africa and establish trading centers. These people would trade ivory, gold, crops, and any other things that might be valuable for other countries. Kingdoms like Great Zimbabwe depended on these merchants because they were responsible for most of the importing and exporting of the supplies. These traders also made a very large dent in the economy when they tried to take over the major parts where they got materials to trade.

Trading made with India, Persia, China, and the Arab world

900

Around the 900s, trade was made with India, Persia, China, and the Arab world. Merchants came because they heard that the Mozambique area was plentiful in Gold. Merchants would trade with things like beads and cloth, and they would receive gold or agricultural products. The popularity of trade eventually led to the rise of the Shona Empire which affected the trade of the region immensely. Merchants and trade was the main source of economic growth for the entire region and continues to be today.

The rise of the Shona Empire

1000

At around year 1000, the rise of the Shona Empire began. The Shona empire was a Bantu trading empire, and is located between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The capital of the Empire was Great Zimbabwe, which was abandoned around the 1400s. The Shona farmed and traded millet, sorghum, corn, and a variety of other crops such as rice, beans, peanuts, and sweet potatoes. The Shona Empire was the center of trade for the entire region of lower and southern Africa.

Great Zimbawe

1200

In Zimbabwe during the 1100-1300 period the Ruins of Great Zimbabwe was discovered and started the Golden age of the shona kingdom. Some of the rulers in the Shona kingdom had the power over life and death and the kings were super powerful inside of the kingdom. These rulers were considered god-kings. These Shona people were just Bantu people who moved into Zimbabwe during earlier times. The Shona are known for ironwork, good pottery, and musicianship.

Rise in Agriculture in Botswana

1200

Botswana started seeing a difference in their land. There was a rise in culture because the Moristance Culture started forming. There were a lot of new innovative ways to help agriculture. This was very different for the natives, but this helped their culture grow. They benefited because of cattle herding and large corrals which are basically spots where the best cattle go to eat the best grass. This resulted in more things to trade and live off of.