Life in Africa during the middle ages

By: Princesa Brassell

Introduction

Not much is known about life in Africa due to the fact that they told stories orally instead of writing them down. During the middle ages, Africa was underdeveloped but has grown highly over time. Europe heavily influenced the way life was for people in Africa. Life in Africa was very similar, but also very different. It all depends on what region they were in.

Working roles in ancient Africa

Commoners in ancient Africa were typically very poor, as well as had to work a job all their lives. The most common jobs were; farmers, traders, artisans, warriors, and slaves. Farmers worked on the land growing crops such as yams, sorghum, barley, and wheat or they took care of livestock such as cattle and sheep. Farmers were also forced to join the military, when problems such as war arose. Traders move goods across the Sahara desert using camels some traders became very wealthy as well as held high positions in society. They were highly respected. Artisans were blacksmiths, weavers, tailors, jewelers, as well as toolmakers. They were people who specialized in doing a certain job. Warriors were important in large empires to keep the peace as well as maintain power for the emperor. Slaves were often enemies captured or sometimes criminals that were forced into slavery as punishment.

Style in Africa

African clothing is hard to trace back, due to the lack of historical evidence. Many people even if they can afford to clothe did not wear anything due to the very warm weather in Africa. The first materials they used for clothing were animal skins and bark cloth which is made from the bark of trees. For special ceremonies and meetings, they would wear loincloths or tunics. The trade routes helped determine how they dressed. Around 500 CE domesticated camel hair from Arabia was being used for clothing. The trade routes allowed people in Africa to have different materials to make

clothing and jewelry. The material that was often traded into Africa was cotton, silk, cloth, and wool came later on. Many people wore cotton clothing but the poorer people wore goatskins. The people Africa traded with heavily influenced the way they dressed especially Islamic people. Due to the influences, men and women wore long robes that typically went to the ankles that sometimes were either open on the sides or stitched closed and women wore hijabs. The weaving of specific colors and materials could mean different things, but look the same it depends on what region they happened to be surrounded by.

How they lived

Some parts of Africa had villages in which the population mostly consisted of farmers. Houses, barns, sheds, and animal pens were towards the center of the village and they were surrounded by fertile plowed land, pasture or cattle. The life in the village was busy for both men and women.Both men and women were working either outside on the land or inside the small huts that were typically round with one room and were made from clay and straw. If you were in the city where the richer people lived they had homes made of wood and stone. Poorer people might be cramped into one room. While richer people might occupy four floors the cellar in the bottom to the attic at the top with the servant quarters. Comfort was not easy to find even in the wealthier homes. Heating was a problem with the stone floors, ceilings, and walls. The homes were also poorly lit due to the small narrow windows using candles that were made from oil and fat that produced very foul smells.

Family Life

Family in Africa was viewed as very important to most people. The first civilization to settle, down south of the Sahara desert, is the Bantus that came from fisher groups during 3000 BC. They called themselves “Bantu” meaning “the people”. As the Bantus moved around Africa, they brought their skills to teach with them including pottery making, mining, and ironworking. The movement of the Bantus caused different areas to have common ideas and beliefs. Men in Africa had many wives, which was called polygyny, they did this so they could have more children. Children were prized in

Africa due to the fact that it was believed they linked the past to the future. Many areas were matrilineal meaning they traced their family through their mother’s sides and not the father's side. However when mothers would marry, they married into the father's family to make up for the loss they were given cloth, metal tools, cattle or goats from the father's family. Many villages had hundreds to thousands of people living in them, including multiple generations from the same family.

Conclusion

In conclusion, life in Africa was very different but also very similar in the different regions. Africa has majority changed from the middle ages to now and it is shown in many different forms and has developed for the better. Due to the lack of written stories and the number of stories told orally not much was known about this time and because of that, it shows the lack of information that is out for the world to know and be educated about.

Bibliography

Africa during the Middle Ages, http://www.medieval-life.net/africa.htm.

“Ancient Africa.” Ducksters Educational Site, https://www.ducksters.com/history/africa/daily_life_in_ancient_africa.php.

Book: Quigley, Mary. Ancient West African Kingdoms: Ghana, Mali, & Songhai. Heinemann Library, 2002.

Photo citations

“African Culture G4 - Lessons - Tes Teach.” Tes Teach with Blendspace, https://www.tes.com/lessons/q5WfiO35f36gdA/african-culture-g4.

“West Africa.” The Best Place to Live during the Middle Ages, https://wheretoliveduringthemiddleages.weebly.com/west-africa.html.

“Discover the Best Free African Graphic Resources, 64,695 Results.” Freepik, https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/african.