This kingdom and civilization reveal the sophistication, political, military, technological, and economic advancement and structure of these African people. (Representational image, not the actual walls of Benin) Before the earthwork and stone walls of Benin, the ancient city was still walled off using wood and brush.) Destroyed by British in 1897 | The African History). This grand project is thought to have been carried out completely by the Edo people, and it took an estimated total of 150 million hours to complete ( Ancient Walls of Benin were four times longer than Walls of China. We hope you will join us.Īccording to the 1974 edition of the Guinness Book of Records, the Walls of Benin were the “world’s largest earthworks carried out prior to the mechanical era.” Elsewhere, it is claimed that they were “four times longer than the Great Wall of China and consumed a hundred times more material than the Great Pyramid of Cheops.” Furthermore, it is asserted that the walls “extended for some 16,000 km in all, in a mosaic of more than 500 interconnected settlement boundaries,” and that it covered an area of 6,500 square kilometers (2,510 square miles). However, civilizations and kingdoms like Benin, Zimbabwe, Mali, and the Kongo will disabuse you of that notion and enlighten you about Africa’s glorious past.įollowing are some images and a brief synopsis (with links to supporting articles) of a few of the African civilizations we will discuss on April 29. To request the Zoom link you can email sign up on BREEZE or call the church office.Īre you aware of the numerous African kingdoms south of the Sahara? Africa and her people have been deliberately mischaracterized as having no culture, history, or civilization prior to the intervention of Europeans beginning in the 15th century. Join us Saturday morning, April 29 ( via Zoom) from 10:30 to noon (when we will discuss the book African People in World History, by John Henrik Clarke. No Comments » Racial Equity Buddies Book ClubĪ Few Interesting Facts About Ancient African Kingdoms Posted in Ministry Activities, Recent Events |

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