The peoples of the Middle Niger
Subtitle: the island of gold
By: Roderick James McIntosh.
Series: The peoples of Africa
Publisher: Blackwell Publishers
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Malden, MA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 346
Subjects: Ethnology -- Mali.; Ethnology -- Senegal.; Ethnology -- Niger River Valley.; Mali -- Social life and customs.; Senegal -- Social life and customs.; Niger River Valley -- Social life and customs.; Niger River Valley -- Antiquities.
Description: "This book provides the first comprehensive history of the peoples of the Middle Niger written by an English speaking scholar. 'The Island of Gold' was the medieval Muslim and later European name for a fabled source of gold and other tropical riches. Although the floodplain of the Niger river lies far from the goldfields, the mosaic of peoples along the Middle Niger created a wealth of grain, fish, and livestock that supported some of Africa's oldest cities, including Timbuktu." "In this book, Roderick James McIntosh uses the latest archaeological and anthropological research to provide a bold overview of the distant origins of life for the inhabitants of the Middle Niger, and an explanation for their social evolution. He shows, for instance, the difficulties the peoples faced in adapting to an unpredictable climate, and how their particular social organization determined the unusual nature of their responses to that change. Throughout the book oral traditions are integrated into the story, providing vivid insights into the inhabitants' complex culture and belief systems."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [307]-339) and index.