ANTHROPOLOGY 605 



and 300 B.C. In later centuries these migrations brought Islam 

 with them, thereby exerting a profound influence on the continent. 

 Another important influence on African culture has been the exis- 

 tence of trade routes between the Mediterranean littoral and the 

 Sudan lands via the Sahara; these routes and their effects are dis- 

 cussed at length by E. W. Bovill (1933). The origin of the Tuareg 

 of the Sahara, with their camels and their unique script, is another 

 unsolved problem in the history of Africa; it has been considered 

 by Sir H. R. Palmer (1932) and F. R. Rodd (1926). 



The deductions made from a study of domestic animals in rela- 

 tion to the history of Africa are surveyed by Sir H. H. Johnston 

 (191 1). It is noteworthy how few of the domestic animals are 

 indigenous. For example, the horse, humped Zebu cattle, sheep, 

 goat, and two-humped camel were first tamed in Asia and sub- 

 sequently introduced to Afiica. The horse, associated chiefly with 

 the Islamic invasion, did not spread to the same extent as goats 

 and oxen because the forest-belts served as a barrier. Edible plants 

 have likewise been introduced to the continent from abroad, many 

 from America in modern times, others from the East, probably 

 brought by Arabs and Portuguese [see Chapter XII). Edwin 

 Smith concludes that the presence of certain animals and plants in 

 different regions does not prove that any considerable migrations 

 took place, but that they were introduced by trade or by conquer- 

 ing peoples in tribal warfare. The fact that so few native animals 

 have been domesticated and so few indigenous plants cultivated 

 suggests that the early inhabitants of the continent had little 

 interest in agriculture. 



Turning to hand-made objects and ruins, many discoveries have 

 been made and many conjectures have been based on them. 

 From museums have emanated maps showing the distribution 

 of many artifacts, such as the Atlas Africaniis by Leo Frobenius 

 and Ritter von Wilm (1921 onwards). Better perhaps are those 

 pamphlets, which indicate the actual places where objects have 

 been found, issued by the Riksmuseet, Stockholm, mostly by K. G. 

 Lindblom, showing the distribution of fighting-bracelets, fish- 

 hooks and other fishing gear, the spiked wheel-trap, the use of 

 oxen as pack and riding animals, and of the hammock. Similar 

 maps for the Belgian Congo have been published by the Musee du 



