Sao civilisation

Sao was a pre-Islamic, Iron Age culture in Africa, which is detectable in northwestern Nigeria, northern Cameroon and western Chad.

History

The name " Sao " means a city state culture south and west of Lake Chad, whose origin is related to the formation and expansion of the Kanem -Bornu Empire. In both cases, the carrier of the State and City Culture immigrants from Syria - Palestine seem to have been, who migrated from the decay of the Assyrian Empire at the end of the seventh century BC to the subsaharanische Africa. From the beginning the immigrants created independent city-states, suggesting their diverse backgrounds traditions origins from the ancient Near East. In the early modern period until today continuing city-states of Sao Kotoko were threatened by Baguirmi and Kanem -Bornu conquered.

Archeology

The Sao culture south of Lake Chad has been archaeologically investigated intensively. According to the results available so far they began in 500 BC and reached its height from the 10th to the 16th century. Typical of the culture is the production of large urns and small terracotta figures. The as Sao pots designated, in part more than a meter high urns were used for burial, beer production and retention. As free gifts burials of the dead, there are bronze jewelry and pottery. The most highly stylized figures, people and animals represents the descendants of Sao south of Lake Chad are called by the Kanuri Makari and of the Shoah Arabs Kotoko.