African Civilizations

Art and architecture from the great African civilization of the past.

53 Pins

11mo

an old photo of a young man in native garb holding a stick and spear

The Amazons of Dahomey were a regiment of fierce female warriors that numbered at least 6,000, in what is present-day Republic of Benin. Said to be superior to male soldiers, they wielded muskets, machetes and spears. The lethal fighting force helped the king dominate the region from the mid-1600s through the 1890s.

an old wooden statue with a crown on it's head sitting in front of a white background

Ancient statuette depicting King Ezana, the 4th century A.D. who converted Ethiopia to Christianity, the first African nation to do so -- long before much of Europe.

"Bust of Queen Mother, Benin." (600-400 B.P (1400-1600 A.D) (arthistoryresources.com)

an ancient egyptian statue is shown against a black background

Egyptian Pharoah Khafra (sometimes spelled Khafre) a 4th Dynasty ruler during the Old Kingdom, built the second largest pyramid at Giza, and some Egyptologists also credit him with the building of the Sphinx (although that remains a subject of debate).

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The Ezana Stone, a huge monolith, was erected to enshrine King Ezana's conversion of Ethiopia to Christianity in the 4th century A.D. The events are inscribed in 3 languages: Greek, Sabaen, and Ge'ez, the written language of Ethiopia. At the site of the King's death on the battlefield, a church was hewn from stone and still stands today.

an illustration of a man riding on the back of a horse next to other people

Benin Empire illustration of angus mcbride showing the oba (king) of the benin empire receiving a group of portuguese ambassadors in the 16th century AD

the blood of titans by c michael forsyth book cover art and illustration design

The Hour of the Beast - by Michael Forsyth

"The Blood of Titans" is a novel set in a highly sophisticated civilization in ancient Africa, akin to those depicted on this page. http://www.amazon.com/The-Blood-Titans-Michael-Forsyth/dp/0988478005

an old photo of a man dressed in blue and white striped clothing holding a baseball bat

Also known as the Mino, the Amazon warriors of Dahomey underwent intense training. Taking a vow never to retreat, their motto was "Conquer or die." The Amazons took enemy soldiers' heads and penises as trophies.

Nefertiti, whose name means "the beautiful one has come," was the queen of Egypt during the 14th century B.C. She and her husband established the cult of Aten, the sun god.

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