
Rare Gabon burial cave sheds light on little known period in African history - Hooke
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/africa/gabon-burial-cave-african-history/
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Mediterraneo10
Interesting that this find contains iron artifacts, so Gabon had iron-working
in the 14th-century (or long-distance trade). I have traveled some of rural
West Africa where life is not too different than centuries ago – no
electricity, no literacy, and the only sign of modernity is the fact that
people wear second-hand t-shirts, or the packages of biscuits and sardines one
might find for sale. But we know that in pre-colonial West Africa there was
ironworking going on, because it was used for weapons and jewelry and there
was a traditional caste dedicated to it, but none of that metallurgical
activity survives today. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to
witness iron being worked according to the old ways, but I suppose it is
easier for communities now to import that from the outside world, even if they
are cash-poor.

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noselasd
Here's a demonstration of the old iron smelting techniques from Burkina Faso:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuCnZClWwpQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuCnZClWwpQ)

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carapace
Wow, that's amazing.

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jacobwilliamroy
I wish they would leave those people alone. They wouldnt get away with that if
they did it at Arlington cemetery. They'd be in prison.

