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Pre-Colonial Africa: Society, Polity, Culture

Women of Northern Nigeria, 1820s Body Guard of the Sheikh of Bornou, Nigeria, 1820sHuman Sacrificial Ceremony, Dahomey, 1849-50 Soldiers with Weapons, Northern Nigeria, 1820sView of Kachao and Scenes of Manioc Preparation, early 18th cent.King of Barsalli, 1732A Fulani Settlement and Surrounding Gardens, 18th cent. Clothing Styles, Houses, Musical Instruments, Gambia River Region, early 18th cent.Male Circumcision Ceremony, West Africa, 1728House and Compound, Sierra Leone, late 17th cent.House Types, Cape Mesurado, 1720sKingdom of Quoja, Sierra Leone, late 17th cent.Gold Jewelry, Pottery, Wooden Stools, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.Musical Instruments, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.Weapons, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.Fishing Boats, Northern Nigeria, 1820s Armored Horseman with Lance, Nigeria, 1820sCoronation, King of Whydah (Ouidah), Dahomey, April 1725Procession of the Serpent, Whydah (Ouidah), Dahomey, April 1725City of Loango, late 17th cent.Residence of King of Kongo, late 17th cent.MenWomenDon Alvaro, King of Kongo, Receving Dutch Delegation, 1642Crossing a Bridge, Western Sudan, 1790sClothing of Soldiers, Kingdom of Kongo, late 17th cent.Household Activities and Material Goods, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.Court of King of Kongo, late 16th cent.Litter Travel, Kingdom of Kongo, late 16th cent.Catholic Baptisms, Congo, 17th cent.Fanti Houses, Cape Coast Castle, Gold Coast, 1841 Village and KingCourt of King of Iddah [Idah], Central Nigeria, 1841 Nigerian Dignitaries, 1841 Village Scene, Iddah, Nigeria, 1841 Canoes on the Niger River, South Central Nigeria, 1841 Funeral in Annobon (Annobone), 1841 A Queen and Her Entourage, Central Nigeria, 1832-33Court of the King of Attah (Iddah), Central Nigeria, 1832-33House of Muslim Religious Leader, Fandah, Central Nigeria, 1832-33A KingRiverside Settlement, Central Nigeria, 1832-33Village Scene, Jogguh, Central Nigeria, 1832-33Ceremony Appointing Military Commander, 1784Nobles and Their Settlement, Kingdom of Kongo, 17th cent. Procession with Women Warriors, Dahomey, 1790sRoyal Ceremony, Dahomey, 1790sCeremony and Military Parade, Dahomey, 1790sKing of Dahomey, 1790sAfrican King Receiving Visitors, Sierra Leone, late 17th cent.King of Benin with Soldiers, late 17th cent. King of Benin (Oba) in Procession, late 17th cent. Yam Ceremony, Asante [Ashanti], ca. 1817King of Kongo Receiving Dutch Ambassadors, 1642Queen Nzinga, Kingdom of Kongo, Meeting with the Portuguese, late 17th cent.King Dom Garcia II of Kongo Receiving Capuchin Missionaries, 1648Metalworking, Kingdom of Kongo, late 17th cent.Ceremony of Swearing Loyalty to British Government, Ashanti, 1824Muslim Men, Gold Coast ,1824Street in Coomassy [Kumasi], "Leading to the Palace," Gold Coast , 1824Ashanti Soldier, Gold Coast, 1824A Kong Soldier, Ivory Coast, 1824Musgu Chief with Horse, Nigeria, 1850sQueen Nzinga and a Drummer, Kingdom of Kongo, 1670sSoldiers, Kingdom of Kongo, 1670sMusicians, Kingdom of Kongo, 1670sIron Working, Kingdom of Kongo, 1670sCeremonial Procession, Kingdom of Kongo, 1670sQueen Nzinga with Her Entourage, Kingdom of Kongo, 1670sQueen Nzinga with Her Entourage, Kingdom of Kongo, 1670sA Magician and His Paraphernalia, Kingdom of Kongo, 1670sClothing Style, Serer Man, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, Wolof Man, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, Wolof Queen, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, A Wolof Soldier, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, Mandingo Woman, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, Wolof Merchant, Senegal, 1850sWolof Woman Carrying a Child, Senegal, 1850sMandingo Marabout in Prayer, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, Peule Man, Senegal, 1850sPeule Woman, Senegal, 1850sToucouleur/Tukulor Marabout, Senegal, 1850s Clothing Style, Sarakole Man, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, Sarakole Woman, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, Bambara Man, Senegal, 1850sClothing Style, Bambara Woman, Senegal, 1850sYam Ceremonial, Ashanti, Gold Coast, early 19th cent.Slave, Farmer, Fisherman, Gold Coast, late 16th cent.Male Clothing Styles, Gold Coast, late 16th cent.Market, Cabo Corso (Cape Coast), Gold Coast, late 16th cent.Courts and Administration of Justice, Gold Coast, late 16th cent.Ceremony of Electing or Appointing a Nobleman, Gold Coast, late 16th cent.Funeral Ceremony, Gold Coast, late 16th cent.King Greets European Visitors, Cape Lopez (Gabon), late 16th cent.Burial of a Chief, Gold Coast or Angola, late 16th cent.Africans with Ivory Tusks and Weapons, Sierra Leone, 1682Mandingo Chief, 1850sTimbo Women, Western Sudan, 1850sDiving for Gold Nuggets, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.The King of Loango, late 17th cent.Types of Litters, Kingdom of Kongo, late 17th cent.King of Quoja, Sierra Leone, late 17th cent.Funeral, Senegambia, late 17th cent.Clothing Styles, Senegambia, late 17th cent.A Covered Litter, Kingdom of Kongo, late 17th cent.Daniel de Silva, Count of Songo, late 17th cent.Canoe Construction and Use, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.Clothing Styles, Kingdom of Loango, late 17th cent.Clothing Styles, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.Male and Female Clothing Styles, Western Equatorial Africa, 1850sCanoe Travel, Western Equatorial Africa, 1850sExecution of a Suspected Witch, Western Equatorial Africa, 1850sVillage Scene, Apingi, Western Equatorial Africa, 1850sKing of the Fans, Western Equatorial Africa, 1850sMusicians, Western Equatorial Africa, 1850sBlacksmiths, Fan, Western Equatorial Africa, 1850sMode of Execution, Dahomey, 1845-46Clothing Styles, Senegal, 1806 Marriage Procession, Senegal, 1806 Clothing Styles, Senegal, 1806 Climbing Palm Trees, Senegal, 1806 Gathering Gum, Senegal, 1806 Enslaved Females Drawing Water and Pounding Rice, Madagascar, 1850s Madagascar Women, Showing Hairstyles, 1850s Iron Working, Madagascar, 1850sRice Granary, Madagascar, 1850sKing of Benin (Oba) in procession, late 17th cent.Dutch Ambassadors Greeting the King of Kongo, late 17th cent.Female Soldier (Amazon), Dahomey, 1849-50Gezo, King of Dahomey, 1849Europeans Arriving on African Coast, 18th cent.Scenes of West African Life and Slave Trading with Europeans, late 17th cent. Scenes of West African Life, late 17th cent.West African Domestic Life, late 17th cent.Woman Playing Warri/Wari, West Africa, 1780sFishing Canoes, Cape Verde, 1880 Ashanti Prince and Son, Gold Coast, 1820 Ashanti Nobleman, Gold Coast, 1820 Mulatto Woman, Gold Coast, 1820Carrying Europeans on Litters, Gold Coast, 1820 City of Kano, Northern Nigeria, 1850sSultan of Sokoto, Northern Nigeria, 1850sSoldiers of Bornu, Northern Nigeria, 1850sHouse Construction and Roofing, Sierra Leone, 1856House and Village Scene, Sierra Leone , 1856Marketplace and Houses, Sierra Leone, 1856Exterior of Kitchen, Sierra Leone , 1856Interior of Kitchen, Sierra Leone, 1856Mode of Transporting Ivory, Central Africa, mid-1860sA Fulani Village, West Africa, 1809 Clothing Styles, Cape Verde Islands, early 18th cent.A King and his Judicial Court, Sierra Leone, 1764 Funeral, Gold CoastHouses and European Trading Post, Angola, 1786-87Male Clothing, Angola, 1786-87Female Clothing, Angola, 1786-87Hammock Travel, Angola, 1786-87Funeral, Angola, 1786-87Funeral, Angola, 1786-87Public Execution, Whydah (Ouidah), Dahomey, 1725 Clothing of Nobles and KingHorse-Mounted Soldier, Sierra Leone, early 1820sGriots and Musical Instruments, Sierra Leone, early 1820sClothing and Jewelry of Dancing Women, Sierra Leone, early 1820sChief and Soldier with Weapons, Sierra Leone, early 1820sMusicians and Musical Instruments, Sierra Leone, early 1820sManioc Preparation, Kachao, Senegambia, 18th cent. Houses and Musical Instruments, Senegal, early 18th cent.Female Clothing Styles, West Africa, 18th cent.Houses and Human Executions, Benin, 18th cent.Portuguese Emissaries Received by the King of Kongo, late 16th cent. Male and Female Clothing Styles, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.Male and Female Clothing Styles, Gold Coast, late 17th cent.Court of King of Sestro, 1681 Houses and Village Scenes, Sierra Leone, late 17th cent.Cultivating Village Garden, Central Africa, 1858-64Woman with a Grinding Stone, Central Africa, 1858-64 Musicians and Their Instruments, Central Africa, 1858-64Fanti Dance, Gold Coast, 1835African Cavalry and Foot Soldiers, Senegambia, 1818 Village in the Western Sudan, 1796King Behanzin, Dahomey, 1890sMale Soldiers, Dahomey, 1890sStreet Scene, Whydah (Ouidah), Dahomey, 1890sHouse of a Diviner/Witchdoctor, Dahomey, 1891Enslaved African, Dahomey, 1891Armed Male Soldier, Dahomey, 1891Priestesses Dancing, Dahomey, 1891Female Soldiers (Amazons), Dahomey, 1891Emissaries of the King of Dahomey, 1891Male Dancer, Dahomey, 1891African Man with Weapons, Brazil, ca. 1641Scenes of West African Life, 18th cent.Royal Ceremony, Dahomey, late 18th cent.Collecting Palm Oil, Senegal, 1850sClothing Styles, St. Louis, Senegal, 1850sClothing and Hair Styles, Senegal, 1850sVillage Scene, Senegal, 1850sSoldiers on the March, Senegal, 1850sFulani Blacksmith, Sierra Leone, 1834Catholic Missionary and his Entourage, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCapuchin Missionary Celebrating Mass, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCapuchin Missionary Entering Village, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCapuchin Missionary being Greeted by Village Head, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCatholic Priest Burning Idol House, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCatholic Missionary being Entertained by Head of Village, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCapuchin Missionary Witnessing a Tournament, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCapuchin Missionary Performs a Catholic Wedding, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCapuchin Missionary at the Mission Station, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCapuchin Missionary Traveling with his Entourage, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sCapuchin Missionary and his Entourage being Greeted in Front of Village, Sogno, Kingdom of Kongo, 1740sPounding Meal with Mortar and Pestle, Senegal, 1805Female Clothing Styles, Sierra Leone, 1805African Soldier, Sierra Leone, 1805Femmale Clothing Styles, Sierra Leone, 1805Prince of Marabou, Senegal, 1805Human Sacrificial Ceremony, Dahomey, 1849-50Caravan Arriving at Timbuctoo, 1853African Canoes and European Sailing Vessels, Corisco Island, Equatorial Guinea, mid-19th cent.Metal Working and Charcoal Making, (Liberia?), mid-19th cent.Village Scene and Dance, Corisco Island, Equatorial Guinea, mid-19th cent.Large Canoe and Village Scene, (Liberia?), mid-19th cent.Execution and Burial of a Witch, (Liberia?; Corisco Island, Equatorial Guinea?), mid-19th cent.Transporting a European in a Hammock, (Liberia?), mid-19th cent. Freetown, Sierra Leone, mid-19th cent.Canoes and Domestic Wares, (Liberia?), mid-19th cent.A Musical Bow and Cassava Bread Kneading Trough, (Liberia?), mid-19th cent.Settlement Surrounded by Palisade, (Cape Palmas, Liberia?), mid-19th cent.Baskets and Cooking Vessel (Liberia?), mid-19th cent.Burial and Mourners, (Corisco Island, Equatorial Guinea?), mid-19th cent.Edged Metal Tools and Wari Board, (Liberia?), mid-19th cent.Rattan Basket, (Liberia?), mid-19th cent.Mourning the Deceased or Watching over the Dead, (Liberia? Corisco Island, Equatorial Guinea?), mid-19th cent.Settlement and Houses, Krootown (Cape Palmas, Liberia?), mid-19th cent.Cape Mount and Cape Mesurado (Monrovia), Liberia, mid-19th cent.American Colonization Society Settlements, Liberia, mid-19th cent.Muslims at Prayer, Senegal, 1780sWomen Washing Themselves, Senegal, 1780s Horse-Mounted Soldier, Senegal, 1780sCemetery, Senegambia, 1780sMoors Plundering a Village for Slaves, Senegal, 1780s Climbing a Palm Tree, Senegal, 1780sMandingo Man Clothing Style, Senegal, 1780sBlacksmith at Work, Senegal, 1780sWeaver at His Loom, Senegal, 1780sSeparating Cotton Fiber, Senegal, 1780sPeople Crossing a Bridge, Senegal, 1780sPlaying the Balafon, Senegal, 1780sSoldier with Weapons, Senegal, 1780s Slave Raid on African Village, Senegal, 1780sCanoes, Senegal, 1780s Free Woman of Color, Senegal, 1780sA Muslim Marabout, Senegal, 1780sWolof King, Senegal, 1787Hunting a Crocodile, Senegal, 1780sFoot Soldiers and Cavalry, Bornu, Northeastern Nigeria, 1860Divination Using Poultry, Marghi, Northeastern Nigeria, 1860Kano, North Central Nigeria, 1860Market, Sokoto, Northwestern Nigeria,1860Mandingo Soldiers, Western Africa, 1860A Woman from Timbuctoo, 1830