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From Chalo Chatu, Zambia online encyclopedia
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History of Zambia (Pre-1888) | |||
==Early history== | |||
That archaic humans were present in Zambia at least 200,000 years ago was shown by the discovery of the Broken Hill skull in [[Kabwe]] in 1921 - this was the first human fossil ever discovered in Africa.<ref>http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/collections-at-the-museum/museum-treasures/broken-hill-skull/index.html</ref> | |||
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The earliest known modern humans to live in the territory of modern-day Zambia were the Khoisans. They were bushmen, [[hunters and gatherers|hunter-gatherers]] who lived a [[nomadic]] life, with [[stone age]] technology. Mainly they collected fruit and nuts, but they also hunted [[antelope]] and other animals. | |||
| | The Khoisans were the only inhabitants of most of Zambia until the 4th century, when [[Bantu peoples|Bantu]] started to migrate from the north. They had far more developed technology - they were [[farmers]] and had [[Iron (material)|iron]] and [[copper]] tools and weapons, as well as knowledge of [[pottery]]-making. They lived in small [[self-sufficient]] villages of wattle-and-daub huts, growing [[sorghum]] and [[beans]], as well as keeping [[cattle]] and [[goats]]. | ||
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Since the early farmers practised [[slash and burn]] agriculture, they had to constantly move further south when the [[soil]] was exhausted. The [[indigenous peoples|indigenous]] khoisans were either killed, [[Cultural assimilation|assimilated]] into the new culture or displaced into areas not suitable for agriculture. | |||
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| | With the introduction of agriculture the population grew, and more and more land became cultivated. By the 11th and 12th centuries a more advanced society was beginning to emerge. Even though most villages still were self-sufficient, long distance [[trade]] was developing. Copper mining was intensified, and copper crosses were probably used as a [[currency]]. [[Ivory]] was an export, and [[cotton]] textiles an import. One of the best-known [[archaeology|archaeological]] sites for this period is [[Ing-ombe Ilede]] near [[Siavonga]] close to the [[Kariba Dam]], uncovered in 1960. The increase in trade resulted in larger political units and more complex social structures. | ||
