The smelting and working of iron is arguably the best known among the pre-colonial technologies of Africa, and the continent is home to some of the world's oldest sites of ironworking.
• Includes entries on ironworking, blacksmith castes, and Wayto people.
• Notes that some southwestern
Ethiopian blacksmith groups trace their ancestry to "foreigners" who brought iron skills before the rise of Axum. Quote (entry summary):
"In many societies, blacksmiths are believed to have originated from outside groups and possess ritual powers. Iro 1 technology may have preceded Axur been imported from elsewhere."
I don’t think it’s logical for people to say that West and Central Africans just woke up someday and discovered how to use iron in the vacuum with no prior knowledge of something else, it gives off a reductionist attitude, that complexity arise from nothing? Everything is a learned trait and has to be carried or brought over to from generations, this is a very Eurocentric narrative to disconnect Africans from interacting with one another or sharing knowledge. With one another just to create imaginary barriers. People just don’t figure out how to do something without having a blueprint from another ancient civilization. You don’t need written evidence because we know that every evidence between West Central Africans specifically Bantu people didn’t write their evidences,
Excellent Mr Samuel thoroughly enjoyed reading and sharing this.👍🏾
Thank you so much, grateful.
Excellent
"Historical Dictionary of
Ethiopia"
Authors: David H. Shinn & Thomas P.
Ofcansky Publisher: Scarecrow Press, 2013
• Includes entries on ironworking, blacksmith castes, and Wayto people.
• Notes that some southwestern
Ethiopian blacksmith groups trace their ancestry to "foreigners" who brought iron skills before the rise of Axum. Quote (entry summary):
"In many societies, blacksmiths are believed to have originated from outside groups and possess ritual powers. Iro 1 technology may have preceded Axur been imported from elsewhere."
I don’t think it’s logical for people to say that West and Central Africans just woke up someday and discovered how to use iron in the vacuum with no prior knowledge of something else, it gives off a reductionist attitude, that complexity arise from nothing? Everything is a learned trait and has to be carried or brought over to from generations, this is a very Eurocentric narrative to disconnect Africans from interacting with one another or sharing knowledge. With one another just to create imaginary barriers. People just don’t figure out how to do something without having a blueprint from another ancient civilization. You don’t need written evidence because we know that every evidence between West Central Africans specifically Bantu people didn’t write their evidences,
Very interesting