African Iron Age
The African Iron Age is what archaeologists call the period in Africa between the second and tenth centuries AD, when the practice of iron smelting was adopted and perfected. The best known archaeological sites dated to the Iron Age in Africa iare probably Great Zimbabwe and Aksum, but there are plenty of others well worth investigating.
Great Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe)
Probably the largest and best known of the hundreds of African Iron Age sites in in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa dated between the 10th and 15th centuries AD.
Benin Kingdom Bronze Artifacts
A photo essay of bronze artifacts from the Benin Kingdom of Nigeria
African Iron Age
In Africa, unlike the Europe and Asia, the Iron Age is not prefaced by a Bronze or Copper Age, but rather all the metals came at once.
Sirikwa Holes
Sirikwa Holes is the local name for depressions found throughout the western highlands of Kenya and in northern Tanzania; they represent late Iron Age hut locations.
Akan Culture
In the 11th century AD the Akan were an Iron Age West African forest kingdom in what is now Ghana and the Ivory Coast.
An Hour in the Life: At Aissa Dugjé with Scott MacEachern
Scott MacEachern describes a day in the field working on the Iron Age site of Aissa Dugjé, in Cameroon.
Bosutswe (Botswana)
Bosutswe is the name of a deeply stratified Toutswe culture site, located on the Motloutse river (tributary to the Zambezi River) at the eastern edge of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana
Chifumbaze Complex
The Chifumbaze complex is a widespread Iron Age culture, covering much of southern and eastern Africa.
Engaruka (Tanzania)
The archaeological site of Engaruka dates to the late Iron Age (15th to 16th centuries AD), and is located in the Rift Valley of Tanzania.
Igbo Ukwu (Nigeria)
Igbo Ukwu is an archaeological site near the modern town of Onitsha, southeastern Nigeria.
Inagina--Last House of Iron
A video of West African blacksmiths recreating their traditional methods of smelting iron.
Inyanga (Zimbabwe)
Late Iron Age site in Zimbabwe, dated betweenthe 14th and 18th centuries AD.
Jenné-Jeno
Jenne-Jeno is an Iron age site in Mali, occupied between 250 BC-AD 1400.
K2 Village (South Africa)
Archaeological site in South Africa, and type site for the K2 culture of the Shashi-Limpopo Basin of Botswana
Nok Art
Nok art describes the sculpted ceramic art of northern Nigeria between 500 BC and AD 200.
Phalaborwa (South Africa)
The Phalaborwa complex, in the eastern Transvaal region of South Africa, is a collection of Iron Age sites
The Royal Tombs of Aksum
A Tour of the Ethiopian Iron Age site by Archaeologist Stuart Munro-Hay
Toutswe Tradition
The Toutswe Tradition is the name given to an African Iron Age cultural group in the Limpopo River valley of southern Africa
Toutswemogala (Botswana)
The site of Toutswemogala is a large permanent settlement of the Toutswe Tradition located in the Limpopo River valley of eastern Botswana.
Urewe Culture
The Urewe Culture is the name given to the first group of iron producers in the Lake Victoria region of Africa.