Who brought iron to Africa?
The earliest iron artifacts in the world were beads made by the Egyptians about 5,000 years ago. The earliest smelting in sub-Saharan Africa dates to the 8th century BCE in Ethiopia.
What West African culture was known for its iron working?
The Nok culture was one of the earliest known societies of Western Africa. It existed in modern-day Nigeria from around 500 B.C.E. to 200 C.E. The Nok farmed crops and used iron tools. Nok culture is known for its unique terracotta sculptures and its early iron working.
When was iron discovered in Africa?
Iron technology first appears in the African continent in the 1st millennium BCE, and the term Iron Age is generally used, certainly south of the Sahara, to describe iron-using communities in Africa until the modern historical era.
When was the Iron Age in Southern Africa?
around 1 800 years ago
The Southern African Iron Age began around 1 800 years ago, when the Ntu speaking (formerly known as Bantu) peoples moved into the area.
Where did iron Works begin in Africa?
Iron smelting and forging technologies may have existed in West Africa among the Nok culture of Nigeria as early as the sixth century B.C. In the period from 1400 to 1600, iron technology appears to have been one of a series of fundamental social assets that facilitated the growth of significant centralized kingdoms in …
Where is iron found in Africa?
Iron Ore Mining in Africa The African countries in which iron ore production for export and local use is most prevalent are South Africa, Algeria and Mauritania. Morocco and Zimbabwe also produce ore, but only for local use. Many African countries have vast iron ore deposits that are not yet mined.
When and where did the Iron Age first appear?
The Iron Age began around 1200 B.C. in the Mediterranean region and Near East with the collapse of several prominent Bronze Age civilizations, including the Mycenaean civilization in Greece and the Hittite Empire in Turkey.