Africa

Ancient places can be found all over Africa. Their fascinating histories and impressive artifacts open intriguing glimpses to times past, and open up a window on African history. Visiting such historical places in Africa can be an unforgettable experience.

Science is constantly discovering new archaeological places and uncovering more evidence into what we once thought we knew about our history, therefore offering new pieces to the ever changing puzzle of humanity’s past and altering how we interpret it. This section will present ancient African history articles, highlighting the most interesting archaeological sites all over Africa, as well as new discoveries of ancient places that are worth paying a visit.

A lost desert city. Credit: frenta / Adobe Stock

26 May, 2019 - 19:05 Caleb Strom

Lost City of the Kalahari: Experts Search for Traces of Ancient Desert Civilization

Today, the Kalahari Desert is known as a very dry place. The word Kalahari in fact comes from a Tswana word which means ‘great thirst’. As a result, it seems an unlikely location for an ancient city...

Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple

15 May, 2019 - 13:46 Ed Whelan

Temple of Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar: Colorful Worship in Seychelles Paradise

Seychelles is a tropical paradise famous for its beautiful beaches, clear warm waters, and spectacular scenery. The archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean is best known as a holiday...

Akhenaten, relief of the pylons of the house of Panehsy, Chief Servitor of the Aten. It depicts Akhenaten making offerings to the Aten.

3 May, 2019 - 22:55 tedloukes

Pharaoh Akhenaten: An Alternative View of the Heretic King

Amenhotep IV, also known as the Pharaoh Akhenaten, was destined to be remembered for his attempt at a religious conversion of ancient Egypt; one that saw the old gods put aside and replaced by a...

The civilization called Wagadou, better known as the Ghana Empire, was a Sonniki state.

1 May, 2019 - 01:49 dhwty

The Prosperity and Power of the Ghana Empire Flourished on the Trans-Saharan Trade Route

The Ghana Empire was the first of the great West African empires that existed during the Middle Ages. The history of the Ghana Empire is obscure and much of what we know about it is derived from Arab...

Colored Giza Casing Stones, Menkaure's Pyramid.

29 April, 2019 - 19:03 Morgan Smith

Stones of Diverse Colors: Symbolic and Astronomical Significance in the Very Fabric of the Giza Casing Stones

Most casual students of ancient history know that the outer casing stones of the Giza pyramids were constructed of highly polished Tura limestone blocks that caused them to gleam like a trio of...

Traditional Tammari people village of Tamberma at Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba, Kara region, Togo.

28 April, 2019 - 22:55 Ed Whelan

Koutammakou, Togo: Unparalleled Batammariba Life and Unique Architecture

Koutammakou, the land of the Batammariba people, has many unique architectural and ethnographic attractions found nowhere else. The harmonious integration the Batammariba have with nature is rarely...

Production of salt for the salt trade.

28 April, 2019 - 14:00 dhwty

When Salt Was Traded for Gold: The Salt Trade of West Africa that Built Kingdoms and Spread Culture

In West Africa during the Medieval period, salt was traded for gold. This may seem astonishing as salt is a cheap commodity in today’s society. It may be added that salt is easily available today...

Askia the Great, ruler of the Songhai Empire 1493 to 1528.

26 April, 2019 - 01:53 dhwty

How Did the Songhai Empire Dominate West Africa?

The Songhai Empire dominated West Africa between the 15th and 16th centuries. This empire was a successor state of the powerful, centuries-long Mali Empire . The weakening of Mali rule allowed the...

The Berbers, lords of the desert.

24 April, 2019 - 01:57 Bryan Hill

The Rich Mythology and Megalithic Culture of the Ancient Berbers, Lords of the Desert

The Barbary Coast of North Africa was named after the Berbers, the nomadic people who inhabited the region west of the Nile Valley in north Africa. Called the Amazigh or Imazighen in antiquity (...

The Mzora Stone Circle in Northern Morocco.

22 April, 2019 - 22:59 Sarah P Young

The Mzora Stone Circle: A Megalithic Mystery in Morocco

When people think of megalithic structures , there is a clear behemoth which undeniably dominates the history books – Stonehenge . The iconic stone circle has fascinated historians, archaeologists,...

Somalia: The Ancient Lost Kingdom of Punt is Finally Found?

18 April, 2019 - 00:38 Tarek El-Diwany

Somalia: The Ancient Lost Kingdom of Punt is Finally Found?

Tourists from all over the world are welcomed in Upper Egypt to admire temples and learn about the fascinating history of ancient pharaohs. However, the pharaohs’ true origins are not told and our...

Ruins and obelisks at Axum, former capital of the Kingdom of Aksum

13 April, 2019 - 01:51 Kerry Sullivan

The Kingdom of Axum: Facts and Legends of a First Millennium Powerhouse

Located on the Horn of Africa, the ancient Ethiopian kingdom of Axum (also spelled Aksum) played a significant role in international relations around the time of the first millennium. At its height,...

Apollo 11 Cave Stones, Namibia

11 April, 2019 - 13:57 Ed Whelan

Namibia’s Apollo 11 Cave – How We Gained Insight Into The Minds Of Our Ancestors

Despite its name, the Apollo 11 cave in Namibia has nothing to do with space exploration. It’s the location of prehistoric art, some of the earliest examples of art in human history, and it has...

African Empires, The Mali Empire.

4 April, 2019 - 14:00 dhwty

The Mali Empire: The Rise of the Richest Civilization in West Africa

The Mali Empire (known also as the Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa) was a state that dominated West Africa between the 13th and 17th centuries. At its height of power during the 14th century, the...

Tristan da Cunha Island

31 March, 2019 - 14:07 dhwty

Tristan da Cunha: Only 269 People Remain on World's Most Remote Inhabited Island

Tristan da Cunha is a group of islands located in the southern Atlantic Ocean , between the continents of Africa and South America . The main island of the group is known also as Tristan da Cunha and...

Tsodilo Hills in Northwestern Botswana.

12 February, 2019 - 01:57 Ed Whelan

Kebokwe’s Cave: A Supernatural Site That Was Feared, Now a Sacred Place for Worship

Caves have always fascinated humans and often been regarded with awe and superstition. Kebokwe’s Cave , in the Southern African nation of Botswana , has many legends told about it and it has...

The Great Zimbabwe Ruins.

5 February, 2019 - 13:56 Michelle Freson

No Queen of Sheba Involved! Great Zimbabwe Ruins and Those Who Fought for the Truth

Great Zimbabwe was a medieval city of unparalleled architecture in southern Africa. Construction of the stone buildings started in the 11th century and continued for over 300 years. The city, built...

Scraping hides at the Chouara Tannery, the largest of the Fez’s leather tanneries and the oldest in the world.

26 January, 2019 - 22:59 dhwty

The Ancient and Vibrant Leather Tanneries of Fez, Morocco

Fez is one of the most important cities in Morocco. Located in the northern part of the country, this ancient city served as Morocco’s capital for centuries. The historic part of the city, known also...

Abourma Rock Art

19 January, 2019 - 01:52 Ed Whelan

Abourma Rock Art Displayed In Djibouti’s Most Inhospitable Landscape

Rock art has greatly enhanced our knowledge of our prehistoric ancestors and the Abourma site, in the African state of Djibouti, is enhancing our understanding further. These carvings which are set...

Cathedral of the Holy Saviour of Congo

9 January, 2019 - 01:42 Ed Whelan

Cathedral of the Holy Savior of Congo In Angola Is A Christian Landmark in Sub-Saharan Africa

Angola is a country that is rarely visited and its tourist industry is underdeveloped. This is in part due to the devastation caused by the wars of independence and civil wars that only ended in 2002...

Royal Palaces of Abomey.

5 January, 2019 - 22:54 Ed Whelan

Royal Palaces of Abomey, Benin: The Cultural Epicenter of One of Africa’s Greatest Empires Was Stained with Blood

Africa has many outstanding historic sites and one of the most remarkable of all is that of the Royal Palaces of Abomey in Benin, West Africa. This site is an amazing complex of palaces which has...

Flamingos at Lake Natron.

24 December, 2018 - 23:08 Caleb Strom

Medusa, The Lake That Turns Flesh Into Stone

In a remote part of northern Tanzania in Africa there is a mysterious lake. The water is so caustic that it can burn the skin and eyes of unprepared creatures. Its shores are littered with the...

Great Pyramids, located in Giza

18 December, 2018 - 19:00 dhwty

Great White Pyramid: Did You know Giza’s Great Pyramid Was Once Dazzling White?

The Great Pyramid of Giza (known also as the Pyramid of Khufu, or the Pyramid of Cheops) is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one that remains today. The Great Pyramid is the...

Silhouette of a mysterious witch inside a cave

17 December, 2018 - 14:03 dhwty

Kebokwe’s Cave: Where a Witch, A Legendary Scottish Explorer and a Tribal Chief Unite

Legends say Kebokwe’s Cave got its name from a witch who practiced black magic. When the sorceress was thrown from the hills near the cave, her magic is said to have allowed her to gently land on the...

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