Foragers, Farmers, and Metallurgists

Abstract

This article examines the prehistory of Central Africa during the last 10,000 years. At the beginning of this period, the region was occupied by mobile forager populations, with the first evidence for more sedentary life-ways and more intensive exploitation of plant resources appearing after 7000 years ago. After about 3000 years ago, we see the progressive appearance of village sites and iron technology in different parts of the region. These processes culminate in the development of complex social and political systems in Central Africa over the last two millennia.