African Life and Culture in the 15th Century

In the 15th century, when European explorers first ventured to Africa, Islamic civilization was much more advanced than that of Christian Europe.

Africa played an important part in the pre-eminence of Islamic art, iterature, mathematics, science, philosophy and medicine.

Cairo in Egypt and Timbuktu, in what is now Mali, were two of the world's greatest cities. Timbuktu was a scholarly and religious capital with a large community whose life was dominated by learning.

Traditional village beliefs were not completely obliterated by Islam, however. Some areas were untouched by Islam.

African kings were worshipped as divinities. The people believed that kings could become invisible and communicate with their dead ancestors.

Villagers had a strong belief in the supernatural. They believed in the power of witch doctors and in spells, sacrifices and ancestor worship. These beliefs help to reinforce the king's divine authority.

Some Jews and Christians lived in the mountain kingdom of Ethiopia