Search Results: Swahili Coast

The Swahili Coast on the shores of East Africa was a region where Africans and Arabs mixed to create a unique identity from the 8th century called Swahili Culture. Swahili is the name of their language and means 'people of the coast.' The...

Kilwa, an island located off the coast of East Africa in modern-day southern Tanzania, was the most southern of the major Swahili Coast trading cities that dominated goods coming into and out of Africa from and to Arabia, Persia, and India...

The Portuguese first took an interest in East Africa from the beginning of the 16th century as their empire spread eastwards across the Indian Ocean. Trade in the region was already well-established and carried out by Africans, Indians, and...

Following the conquest of North Africa by Muslim Arabs in the 7th century CE, Islam spread throughout West Africa via merchants, traders, scholars, and missionaries, that is largely through peaceful means whereby African rulers either tolerated...

A map of the east coast of Africa showing, amongst others, the key trade ports of the Swahili Coast during the medieval period, 12th to 15th century CE.

The Kikuyu people (aka Gikuyu or Agikuyu) are a Bantu-speaking people who occupied territory in what is today central Kenya in East Africa from the 17th century onwards. They established themselves primarily as agriculturalists around Mount...

A carved wooden doorway typical of Swahili Coast architecture (12th - 15th century CE). Mombasa old town, Kenya.

Artist's impression of the house of a rich Swahili merchant whose trade along the Swahili Coast brought wealth to the family. Created by Amplitude Studios for the video game Humankind.

Selja monastery has been considered one of the most sacred sites in Norway for more than 1000 years. The monastery is connected to the legend of St. Sunniva (10th century CE), who is the only female Norwegian saint, and was for a long time...

Bergen is a lively, historic city located on the west coast of Norway. Known for its history as a Hanseatic trading town of fish from the north, Bergen has much to offer those who visit. The most famous site is the colorful "Bryggen" or German...