• Africa 500 BC

In the northern Nile valley, Egypt is being drawn more and more into the main stream of world history, as it becomes dominated by foreign powers. However, the civilization of Nubia continues to develop, becoming less “Egyptian” in its inspiration, and more “African”.

In the west African rain forests, small groups of Bantu farmers from present-day Nigeria and Cameroon are on the move. One branch is expanding into the northern Congo region, whilst another is skirting the rain forests and heading towards the Great Lakes. These are stone-using peoples; but to the north, in present-day central Nigeria, an iron-using society, known to modern scholars as the Nok culture, has appeared.

Related Timelines:
Timeline of World History

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