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Swahili: East African City States - African Empires Ep.3
The Swahili city states created a shared culture up and down the coast of East Africa. This often forgotten civilization was key for everything from trade to colonization. Embark with me on this quest to discover the city states of East Africa, and their impact on history.
Main 3 Sources:
Cartwright, Mark. "Swahili Coast." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 01, 2019. https://www.ancient.eu/Swahili_Coast/.
https://www.pbs.org/video/africas-great-civilizations-swahili-coast-africas-great-civilizations/
Constantin, François. "Social Stratification on the Swahili Coast: From Race to Class?" Africa: Journal of the International African Institute 59, no. 2 (1989): 145-60. Accessed December 27, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1160484.
published: 27 Dec 2020
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The Curious History of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast
The island of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast have quite the curious history of revolutions, wars, trade and migration from all over the world that make this stretch of land one of the most culturally rich and relevant in all of Africa.
In today's video we'll discuss just what makes the Swahili coast and accompanying people so distinct from the average Bantu or Black African. Be sure to let me know your thoughts on the Swahili people and the island of Zanzibar. Thanks for watching!
Sources:
https://anthromadness.blogspot.com/search?q=bravanese
https://www.africanworldheritagesites.org/cultural-places/swahili-coast.html
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Swahili-language
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3039498/
https://phys.org/news/2017-07-genetic-reveals-ancestry-madagascar-pe...
published: 26 Mar 2019
-
Coast and Conquest - History Of Africa with Zeinab Badawi [Episode 12]
In this episode Zeinab Badawi starts with a visit to some of the most sensational historic sites in Africa: the Swahili coastal settlements of Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique on Africa’s Indian Ocean coast.
Zeinab then relates the tragic history of how the arrival of the Arabs in this part of Africa marked the start of an international trade in many millions of enslaved Africans.
The Arabs and their Swahili partners were the first outsiders to trade in humans on the continent from as early as the 7th century. She highlights how this trade differed from the much later trans-Atlantic slave trade, and how some Africans today view this painful period in their history.
Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica
Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsaf...
published: 10 Apr 2020
-
The truth behind the Swahili coastal civilisation
A team led by a Tanzanian archaeologist has challenged long held beliefs that Swahili coast civilisation - in East Africa, was heavily influenced by outsiders who arrived to trade with the local communities. After excavating an extensive cave just outside Zanzibar, he has discovered evidence of settlements, animal domestication. Hassan Mhelela has visited the cave and sent us this report.
published: 25 Sep 2012
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History Of The Swahili
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/HomeTeamHistory
published: 06 Dec 2018
-
Edited Wonders of Africa: Swahili Coast
I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)
published: 06 May 2014
-
Who are the Swahili? | Hiistoriya
A look into the identity of the Swahili people native to the East African Coast. The Swahili are a Bantu community that is native to the East African coast. They were the western Indian Ocean's middlemen in the intercontinental trade that linked Africa to Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Bibliography
-Allen, J. De V. Swahili origins: Swahili culture & the Shungwaya phenomenon, J. Currey, 1993
-Chiraghdin, Shihabuddin. “Kiswahili na Wenyewe” Kiswahili 44.1 (1974): 48-53
-Kindy Hyder. Life and Politics of Mombasa. Nairobi. English Press,1972
-Lodhi, Abdulaziz, Y. “Language and Cultural Unity in Tanzania,” Kiswahili (1974) 44/2:10-13
-Mazrui, Alamin M, and Ibrahim N. Shariff. The Swahili: Idiom and Identity of an African People. Trenton, N.J: Africa World Press, 1994.
-Nurse, Derek and S...
published: 12 Jul 2020
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The Black Arab of Africa SWAHILI COAST | MUST KNOW ABOUT AFRICA
“Watch the AFRICAN SERIES MUST KNOW video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wux8oBNPTkY&list=PLzvySjZrWVebl884N4CEyPHUdnHqIy-Xj ”
The Swahili Coast is a place in South East side of Africa,where you will find a group of many African people but Bantu in majority who have been more influenced by the Arab culture since a long time.
The usage of a language like Swahili which is a mix of Arab with other African languages is a proof of how much the Arab culture influneced this part of Africa.
Listen to My Podcast
https://open.spotify.com/show/4xivTOrQ8xJBj3d13PD2SP?si=Lgc1qM8iTA-6VTbLAfS3XA
Check @muhombo live the talk
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEy01z1mSLKkBBtA7sekJCQ
Contact me
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bertinvictoire/
My facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/bertinv...
published: 02 Feb 2021
-
The Indian Ocean Slave Trade was Likely Bigger than the Atlantic Trade | Smithsonian Channel
In the 17th century, the Indian ocean slave trade was arguably on a bigger scale than the Atlantic slave trade. The hub of this vile industry was in modern-day Tanzania, an area that specialized in three things: ivory, spices, and slaves.
Paramount+ is here! Stream all your favorite shows now on Paramount+. Try it FREE at https://bit.ly/3qyOeOf
#OneThousandYearsOfSlavery #SmithsonianChannel
Subscribe to The Smithsonian Channel: https://bit.ly/2FE6OSh
Twitter: https://bit.ly/33lH712
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3iw9Iay
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kkVOZp
published: 17 Mar 2022
-
Ancient DNA reveals entwined African and Asian ancestry along the Swahili coast of eastern Africa
A new genetic study of medieval people who lived along the Indian Ocean coast of eastern Africa — an area often called the “Swahili coast” for its language and culture — revealed that they had both African and Persian ancestry.
The results suggest that maritime trade connections long recognized by archaeologists based on imported goods and architectural influences fostered relationships between Asian merchants and African traders and their families.
“Entwined African and Asian genetic roots of medieval peoples of the Swahili coast” was published today in Nature. It examines genetic ancestry and cultural influences in eastern Africa by using DNA from the skeletal remains of 80 individuals who were buried in six medieval and early modern coastal towns in Kenya and Tanzania dating to the ...
published: 29 Mar 2023
8:52
Swahili: East African City States - African Empires Ep.3
The Swahili city states created a shared culture up and down the coast of East Africa. This often forgotten civilization was key for everything from trade to co...
The Swahili city states created a shared culture up and down the coast of East Africa. This often forgotten civilization was key for everything from trade to colonization. Embark with me on this quest to discover the city states of East Africa, and their impact on history.
Main 3 Sources:
Cartwright, Mark. "Swahili Coast." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 01, 2019. https://www.ancient.eu/Swahili_Coast/.
https://www.pbs.org/video/africas-great-civilizations-swahili-coast-africas-great-civilizations/
Constantin, François. "Social Stratification on the Swahili Coast: From Race to Class?" Africa: Journal of the International African Institute 59, no. 2 (1989): 145-60. Accessed December 27, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1160484.
https://wn.com/Swahili_East_African_City_States_African_Empires_Ep.3
The Swahili city states created a shared culture up and down the coast of East Africa. This often forgotten civilization was key for everything from trade to colonization. Embark with me on this quest to discover the city states of East Africa, and their impact on history.
Main 3 Sources:
Cartwright, Mark. "Swahili Coast." Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 01, 2019. https://www.ancient.eu/Swahili_Coast/.
https://www.pbs.org/video/africas-great-civilizations-swahili-coast-africas-great-civilizations/
Constantin, François. "Social Stratification on the Swahili Coast: From Race to Class?" Africa: Journal of the International African Institute 59, no. 2 (1989): 145-60. Accessed December 27, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1160484.
- published: 27 Dec 2020
- views: 18509
11:17
The Curious History of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast
The island of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast have quite the curious history of revolutions, wars, trade and migration from all over the world that make this str...
The island of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast have quite the curious history of revolutions, wars, trade and migration from all over the world that make this stretch of land one of the most culturally rich and relevant in all of Africa.
In today's video we'll discuss just what makes the Swahili coast and accompanying people so distinct from the average Bantu or Black African. Be sure to let me know your thoughts on the Swahili people and the island of Zanzibar. Thanks for watching!
Sources:
https://anthromadness.blogspot.com/search?q=bravanese
https://www.africanworldheritagesites.org/cultural-places/swahili-coast.html
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Swahili-language
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3039498/
https://phys.org/news/2017-07-genetic-reveals-ancestry-madagascar-people.html
https://wn.com/The_Curious_History_Of_Zanzibar_And_The_Swahili_Coast
The island of Zanzibar and the Swahili Coast have quite the curious history of revolutions, wars, trade and migration from all over the world that make this stretch of land one of the most culturally rich and relevant in all of Africa.
In today's video we'll discuss just what makes the Swahili coast and accompanying people so distinct from the average Bantu or Black African. Be sure to let me know your thoughts on the Swahili people and the island of Zanzibar. Thanks for watching!
Sources:
https://anthromadness.blogspot.com/search?q=bravanese
https://www.africanworldheritagesites.org/cultural-places/swahili-coast.html
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Swahili-language
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3039498/
https://phys.org/news/2017-07-genetic-reveals-ancestry-madagascar-people.html
- published: 26 Mar 2019
- views: 123321
44:45
Coast and Conquest - History Of Africa with Zeinab Badawi [Episode 12]
In this episode Zeinab Badawi starts with a visit to some of the most sensational historic sites in Africa: the Swahili coastal settlements of Kenya, Tanzania a...
In this episode Zeinab Badawi starts with a visit to some of the most sensational historic sites in Africa: the Swahili coastal settlements of Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique on Africa’s Indian Ocean coast.
Zeinab then relates the tragic history of how the arrival of the Arabs in this part of Africa marked the start of an international trade in many millions of enslaved Africans.
The Arabs and their Swahili partners were the first outsiders to trade in humans on the continent from as early as the 7th century. She highlights how this trade differed from the much later trans-Atlantic slave trade, and how some Africans today view this painful period in their history.
Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica
Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/
https://wn.com/Coast_And_Conquest_History_Of_Africa_With_Zeinab_Badawi_Episode_12
In this episode Zeinab Badawi starts with a visit to some of the most sensational historic sites in Africa: the Swahili coastal settlements of Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique on Africa’s Indian Ocean coast.
Zeinab then relates the tragic history of how the arrival of the Arabs in this part of Africa marked the start of an international trade in many millions of enslaved Africans.
The Arabs and their Swahili partners were the first outsiders to trade in humans on the continent from as early as the 7th century. She highlights how this trade differed from the much later trans-Atlantic slave trade, and how some Africans today view this painful period in their history.
Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica
Website: https://www.bbc.com/africa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/
- published: 10 Apr 2020
- views: 690987
2:30
The truth behind the Swahili coastal civilisation
A team led by a Tanzanian archaeologist has challenged long held beliefs that Swahili coast civilisation - in East Africa, was heavily influenced by outsiders w...
A team led by a Tanzanian archaeologist has challenged long held beliefs that Swahili coast civilisation - in East Africa, was heavily influenced by outsiders who arrived to trade with the local communities. After excavating an extensive cave just outside Zanzibar, he has discovered evidence of settlements, animal domestication. Hassan Mhelela has visited the cave and sent us this report.
https://wn.com/The_Truth_Behind_The_Swahili_Coastal_Civilisation
A team led by a Tanzanian archaeologist has challenged long held beliefs that Swahili coast civilisation - in East Africa, was heavily influenced by outsiders who arrived to trade with the local communities. After excavating an extensive cave just outside Zanzibar, he has discovered evidence of settlements, animal domestication. Hassan Mhelela has visited the cave and sent us this report.
- published: 25 Sep 2012
- views: 12938
9:55
History Of The Swahili
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/HomeTeamHistory
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/HomeTeamHistory
https://wn.com/History_Of_The_Swahili
Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/HomeTeamHistory
- published: 06 Dec 2018
- views: 104071
40:48
Edited Wonders of Africa: Swahili Coast
I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)
I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)
https://wn.com/Edited_Wonders_Of_Africa_Swahili_Coast
I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (http://www.youtube.com/editor)
- published: 06 May 2014
- views: 24603
8:19
Who are the Swahili? | Hiistoriya
A look into the identity of the Swahili people native to the East African Coast. The Swahili are a Bantu community that is native to the East African coast. The...
A look into the identity of the Swahili people native to the East African Coast. The Swahili are a Bantu community that is native to the East African coast. They were the western Indian Ocean's middlemen in the intercontinental trade that linked Africa to Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Bibliography
-Allen, J. De V. Swahili origins: Swahili culture & the Shungwaya phenomenon, J. Currey, 1993
-Chiraghdin, Shihabuddin. “Kiswahili na Wenyewe” Kiswahili 44.1 (1974): 48-53
-Kindy Hyder. Life and Politics of Mombasa. Nairobi. English Press,1972
-Lodhi, Abdulaziz, Y. “Language and Cultural Unity in Tanzania,” Kiswahili (1974) 44/2:10-13
-Mazrui, Alamin M, and Ibrahim N. Shariff. The Swahili: Idiom and Identity of an African People. Trenton, N.J: Africa World Press, 1994.
-Nurse, Derek and Spear, Thomas. The Swahili: Reconstructing the History and Language of an African Society, 800-1500. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1985
-Senkoro, F.E.M.K. “Tenzi za Kiswahili,” Umma 6.2 (1976): 116- 31
-Sharrif, Ibrahim Noor. Knappert’s Tales. Kiswahili 41.2 (1971): 47-55
-Sheriff, Abdul, Slaves, Spices and Ivory in Zanzibar. London: James Currey, 1987.
-Stingand, Captain C.H. The Land of Zinj, London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd., 1913.
-The Encyclopedia Britannica. XXXVI, Cambridge University Press,1911
-Whiteley, W. Swahili: The Rise of a National Language. London: Methuen and Co., 1969
Hiistoriya Elsewhere
Website: hiistoriya.com
Twitter: twitter.com/hiistoriya
Instagram: instagram.com/hiistoriya
Facebook: facebook.com/hiistoriya
https://wn.com/Who_Are_The_Swahili_|_Hiistoriya
A look into the identity of the Swahili people native to the East African Coast. The Swahili are a Bantu community that is native to the East African coast. They were the western Indian Ocean's middlemen in the intercontinental trade that linked Africa to Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Bibliography
-Allen, J. De V. Swahili origins: Swahili culture & the Shungwaya phenomenon, J. Currey, 1993
-Chiraghdin, Shihabuddin. “Kiswahili na Wenyewe” Kiswahili 44.1 (1974): 48-53
-Kindy Hyder. Life and Politics of Mombasa. Nairobi. English Press,1972
-Lodhi, Abdulaziz, Y. “Language and Cultural Unity in Tanzania,” Kiswahili (1974) 44/2:10-13
-Mazrui, Alamin M, and Ibrahim N. Shariff. The Swahili: Idiom and Identity of an African People. Trenton, N.J: Africa World Press, 1994.
-Nurse, Derek and Spear, Thomas. The Swahili: Reconstructing the History and Language of an African Society, 800-1500. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1985
-Senkoro, F.E.M.K. “Tenzi za Kiswahili,” Umma 6.2 (1976): 116- 31
-Sharrif, Ibrahim Noor. Knappert’s Tales. Kiswahili 41.2 (1971): 47-55
-Sheriff, Abdul, Slaves, Spices and Ivory in Zanzibar. London: James Currey, 1987.
-Stingand, Captain C.H. The Land of Zinj, London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd., 1913.
-The Encyclopedia Britannica. XXXVI, Cambridge University Press,1911
-Whiteley, W. Swahili: The Rise of a National Language. London: Methuen and Co., 1969
Hiistoriya Elsewhere
Website: hiistoriya.com
Twitter: twitter.com/hiistoriya
Instagram: instagram.com/hiistoriya
Facebook: facebook.com/hiistoriya
- published: 12 Jul 2020
- views: 23721
3:30
The Black Arab of Africa SWAHILI COAST | MUST KNOW ABOUT AFRICA
“Watch the AFRICAN SERIES MUST KNOW video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wux8oBNPTkY&list=PLzvySjZrWVebl884N4CEyPHUdnHqIy-Xj ”
The Swahili Coast is a pla...
“Watch the AFRICAN SERIES MUST KNOW video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wux8oBNPTkY&list=PLzvySjZrWVebl884N4CEyPHUdnHqIy-Xj ”
The Swahili Coast is a place in South East side of Africa,where you will find a group of many African people but Bantu in majority who have been more influenced by the Arab culture since a long time.
The usage of a language like Swahili which is a mix of Arab with other African languages is a proof of how much the Arab culture influneced this part of Africa.
Listen to My Podcast
https://open.spotify.com/show/4xivTOrQ8xJBj3d13PD2SP?si=Lgc1qM8iTA-6VTbLAfS3XA
Check @muhombo live the talk
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEy01z1mSLKkBBtA7sekJCQ
Contact me
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bertinvictoire/
My facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/bertinvictoireCD/
Email:
[email protected]
#Africa #Swahili #MustKnowAboutAfrica
https://wn.com/The_Black_Arab_Of_Africa_Swahili_Coast_|_Must_Know_About_Africa
“Watch the AFRICAN SERIES MUST KNOW video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wux8oBNPTkY&list=PLzvySjZrWVebl884N4CEyPHUdnHqIy-Xj ”
The Swahili Coast is a place in South East side of Africa,where you will find a group of many African people but Bantu in majority who have been more influenced by the Arab culture since a long time.
The usage of a language like Swahili which is a mix of Arab with other African languages is a proof of how much the Arab culture influneced this part of Africa.
Listen to My Podcast
https://open.spotify.com/show/4xivTOrQ8xJBj3d13PD2SP?si=Lgc1qM8iTA-6VTbLAfS3XA
Check @muhombo live the talk
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEy01z1mSLKkBBtA7sekJCQ
Contact me
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bertinvictoire/
My facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/bertinvictoireCD/
Email:
[email protected]
#Africa #Swahili #MustKnowAboutAfrica
- published: 02 Feb 2021
- views: 16035
3:03
The Indian Ocean Slave Trade was Likely Bigger than the Atlantic Trade | Smithsonian Channel
In the 17th century, the Indian ocean slave trade was arguably on a bigger scale than the Atlantic slave trade. The hub of this vile industry was in modern-day ...
In the 17th century, the Indian ocean slave trade was arguably on a bigger scale than the Atlantic slave trade. The hub of this vile industry was in modern-day Tanzania, an area that specialized in three things: ivory, spices, and slaves.
Paramount+ is here! Stream all your favorite shows now on Paramount+. Try it FREE at https://bit.ly/3qyOeOf
#OneThousandYearsOfSlavery #SmithsonianChannel
Subscribe to The Smithsonian Channel: https://bit.ly/2FE6OSh
Twitter: https://bit.ly/33lH712
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3iw9Iay
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kkVOZp
https://wn.com/The_Indian_Ocean_Slave_Trade_Was_Likely_Bigger_Than_The_Atlantic_Trade_|_Smithsonian_Channel
In the 17th century, the Indian ocean slave trade was arguably on a bigger scale than the Atlantic slave trade. The hub of this vile industry was in modern-day Tanzania, an area that specialized in three things: ivory, spices, and slaves.
Paramount+ is here! Stream all your favorite shows now on Paramount+. Try it FREE at https://bit.ly/3qyOeOf
#OneThousandYearsOfSlavery #SmithsonianChannel
Subscribe to The Smithsonian Channel: https://bit.ly/2FE6OSh
Twitter: https://bit.ly/33lH712
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3iw9Iay
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kkVOZp
- published: 17 Mar 2022
- views: 101413
2:52
Ancient DNA reveals entwined African and Asian ancestry along the Swahili coast of eastern Africa
A new genetic study of medieval people who lived along the Indian Ocean coast of eastern Africa — an area often called the “Swahili coast” for its language and ...
A new genetic study of medieval people who lived along the Indian Ocean coast of eastern Africa — an area often called the “Swahili coast” for its language and culture — revealed that they had both African and Persian ancestry.
The results suggest that maritime trade connections long recognized by archaeologists based on imported goods and architectural influences fostered relationships between Asian merchants and African traders and their families.
“Entwined African and Asian genetic roots of medieval peoples of the Swahili coast” was published today in Nature. It examines genetic ancestry and cultural influences in eastern Africa by using DNA from the skeletal remains of 80 individuals who were buried in six medieval and early modern coastal towns in Kenya and Tanzania dating to the years 1250-1800 and an inland town in Kenya dating to after 1650.
Analysis of the genetic data enabled scientists to estimate that people of African and Persian ancestry began to have children together around the year 1000, centuries before the burials themselves.
"That's when we start to see archaeological evidence for major cultural changes, associated with adoption of Islam," said Rice University professor of anthropology Jeffrey Fleisher, a senior author on the study.
Fleisher and Mary Prendergast, an associate professor of anthropology at Rice, are co-authors of the study, which includes more than 40 authors from universities and museums in Africa, Europe and North America. The genetic research was conducted at Harvard University by David Reich, a professor of genetics and investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Esther Brielle, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard.
The study of Swahili DNA was initiated by Chapurukha Kusimba, professor of anthropology at the University of South Florida and senior author of the study. Stephanie Wynne-Jones, a professor of archaeology at the University of York in the United Kingdom, is also a senior author on the project.
Fleisher and Wynne-Jones led many years of excavations and a field school for Rice University students at two of the coastal towns in the study, Songo Mnara and Kilwa Kisiwani.
Fleisher said prior archaeological and historical research showed that Persian Gulf merchants visited the eastern African coast for trading. These traders stayed for months at a time until winds changed and allowed them to sail back home.
The new study revealed that some people buried in the elite cemeteries of coastal towns had mostly African ancestry. But they also had a large proportion of Asian ancestry — and some had more than half. The Asian ancestry overwhelmingly came from Persian men.
“The findings were very eye-opening and suggestive of the ways in which African traders were fostering different types of alliances with Persian merchants during the early second millennium, probably by marrying off daughters and building their family connections,” Fleisher said. “And the people we studied were their descendants.”
The researchers estimated that while individuals of African and Asian origins began to have children together by about the year 1000, the sources of Asian ancestry had shifted from Persia to Arabia by about 1500. This reflected a shift in economic and political influences on the coast.
Fleisher said the findings offer new understanding of an area previously understood to be a Persian colony.
“In the last 30 years, archaeological excavations have revealed the African foundations of Swahili society, showing deep historical roots and African origins for coastal architecture and material culture, rather than Persian inspiration,” he said. “And the individuals living here were speaking Swahili, a local Bantu language, and carrying on local traditions in their daily lives.”
Fleisher said the findings also corroborate oral histories of the Swahili people who now live in East Africa, who have long said their ancestors came from Persia.
“For a long time historians and archaeologists thought that Swahili peoples were using their connections to Persian and other foreign traders to bolster themselves locally, but our data reveals that these oral records were correct,” he said. “In the paper, we emphasize the importance of taking these oral traditions seriously and not simply discounting them as political statements or maneuvering.”
Prendergast emphasized how the study contributes to the young field of African archaeogenetics.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, John Templeton Foundation, Allen Discovery Center, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Science Foundation and Arts Humanities Research Council (UK).
The paper is online at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05754-w.
https://wn.com/Ancient_Dna_Reveals_Entwined_African_And_Asian_Ancestry_Along_The_Swahili_Coast_Of_Eastern_Africa
A new genetic study of medieval people who lived along the Indian Ocean coast of eastern Africa — an area often called the “Swahili coast” for its language and culture — revealed that they had both African and Persian ancestry.
The results suggest that maritime trade connections long recognized by archaeologists based on imported goods and architectural influences fostered relationships between Asian merchants and African traders and their families.
“Entwined African and Asian genetic roots of medieval peoples of the Swahili coast” was published today in Nature. It examines genetic ancestry and cultural influences in eastern Africa by using DNA from the skeletal remains of 80 individuals who were buried in six medieval and early modern coastal towns in Kenya and Tanzania dating to the years 1250-1800 and an inland town in Kenya dating to after 1650.
Analysis of the genetic data enabled scientists to estimate that people of African and Persian ancestry began to have children together around the year 1000, centuries before the burials themselves.
"That's when we start to see archaeological evidence for major cultural changes, associated with adoption of Islam," said Rice University professor of anthropology Jeffrey Fleisher, a senior author on the study.
Fleisher and Mary Prendergast, an associate professor of anthropology at Rice, are co-authors of the study, which includes more than 40 authors from universities and museums in Africa, Europe and North America. The genetic research was conducted at Harvard University by David Reich, a professor of genetics and investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Esther Brielle, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard.
The study of Swahili DNA was initiated by Chapurukha Kusimba, professor of anthropology at the University of South Florida and senior author of the study. Stephanie Wynne-Jones, a professor of archaeology at the University of York in the United Kingdom, is also a senior author on the project.
Fleisher and Wynne-Jones led many years of excavations and a field school for Rice University students at two of the coastal towns in the study, Songo Mnara and Kilwa Kisiwani.
Fleisher said prior archaeological and historical research showed that Persian Gulf merchants visited the eastern African coast for trading. These traders stayed for months at a time until winds changed and allowed them to sail back home.
The new study revealed that some people buried in the elite cemeteries of coastal towns had mostly African ancestry. But they also had a large proportion of Asian ancestry — and some had more than half. The Asian ancestry overwhelmingly came from Persian men.
“The findings were very eye-opening and suggestive of the ways in which African traders were fostering different types of alliances with Persian merchants during the early second millennium, probably by marrying off daughters and building their family connections,” Fleisher said. “And the people we studied were their descendants.”
The researchers estimated that while individuals of African and Asian origins began to have children together by about the year 1000, the sources of Asian ancestry had shifted from Persia to Arabia by about 1500. This reflected a shift in economic and political influences on the coast.
Fleisher said the findings offer new understanding of an area previously understood to be a Persian colony.
“In the last 30 years, archaeological excavations have revealed the African foundations of Swahili society, showing deep historical roots and African origins for coastal architecture and material culture, rather than Persian inspiration,” he said. “And the individuals living here were speaking Swahili, a local Bantu language, and carrying on local traditions in their daily lives.”
Fleisher said the findings also corroborate oral histories of the Swahili people who now live in East Africa, who have long said their ancestors came from Persia.
“For a long time historians and archaeologists thought that Swahili peoples were using their connections to Persian and other foreign traders to bolster themselves locally, but our data reveals that these oral records were correct,” he said. “In the paper, we emphasize the importance of taking these oral traditions seriously and not simply discounting them as political statements or maneuvering.”
Prendergast emphasized how the study contributes to the young field of African archaeogenetics.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, John Templeton Foundation, Allen Discovery Center, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Science Foundation and Arts Humanities Research Council (UK).
The paper is online at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05754-w.
- published: 29 Mar 2023
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