The Neolithic is a period in the history of mankind that is characterized by the emergence of pottery, domesticated animals and domesticated plants. Researchers believe that the Neolithic has its...Show moreThe Neolithic is a period in the history of mankind that is characterized by the emergence of pottery, domesticated animals and domesticated plants. Researchers believe that the Neolithic has its origins in the Fertile Crescent, which is based on the oldest recorded dates of domesticated plants and animals found there. From this point, the ‘Neolithic package’ has spread across the globe. As of 2019, there are a large number of academic debates revolving around the route of dispersal of the ‘Neolithic package’ from its earliest starting point. One of these debates revolves around the way in which agriculture has reached Northwest Africa, or more specifically, Morocco. Since agriculture is one of the primary components of the ‘Neolithic package’, the author will put a large emphasis on this topic in this research. The spread and emergence of agriculture will be researched through archaeobotanical research, with an emphasis on macrobotany. Macrobotany is a subfield within botany and revolves around investigating plant macrofossils to learn more about topics such as: past environments, past traderoutes, past diets and so on. Plant macrofossils are generally not transported very far from time of sediment deposition, thus enabling accurate descriptions of past environments and vegetation types. This thesis will use archaeobotanical data generated from a Neolithic site in Oued-Beth, which is a site in the vicinity of Rabat and Meknes. The main objective of this thesis is to use this archaeobotanical data within the existing framework created by past archaeobotanical research in Morocco, in order to better understand the process of Neolithisation in Morocco.Show less
In this paper, the political world of the Akan around 1500 A.D. is explored. By examining and comparing Portuguese & Arabic sources, this paper attempts to gain new insights on this shady...Show moreIn this paper, the political world of the Akan around 1500 A.D. is explored. By examining and comparing Portuguese & Arabic sources, this paper attempts to gain new insights on this shady period of Akan history. In particular, this paper explores the connections between the Akan and the wider West African world, with a specific focus on the possible influence of Mande traders & warriors in Ghana.Show less
This thesis, through its use of previoulsy unused primary sources, adds to already existing knowledge with regard to the position of President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and the role of events in...Show moreThis thesis, through its use of previoulsy unused primary sources, adds to already existing knowledge with regard to the position of President Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and the role of events in postcolonial Congo in his poltical vision.Show less
This paper discusses the ways in which Frederick Lugard used the Niger river and her subsidiaries as a tool to secure funding from Great Britain between 1900-1905. The annual reports written by...Show moreThis paper discusses the ways in which Frederick Lugard used the Niger river and her subsidiaries as a tool to secure funding from Great Britain between 1900-1905. The annual reports written by Lugard were propaganda to convince Parliament of the value of the Nigerian project by showing progress towards the installation of “legitimate commerce”. This paper proves that the British were, especially in these early years of colonisation, to a great degree confined to the Niger river. Three cases are analysed to show to what extent Lugard is bound to the river for his propaganda: the abolition of illegitimate trade, the promotion of Nigeria to replace the USA and India as the new centre for cotton farming, and the redirection of commerce from the trans-Saharan route to the English sphere. This paper concludes that the river held an abstract value for the British coloniser: apart from being the major highway for trade and transport, it was also an important tool for Lugard’s propaganda.Show less