Arnold mrass cannambo
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 13, 2018
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The history of Kenya dates as early as 2000 BC when a patchwork of ethnic groups, each with their own culture and language, settled in the country. They came from every corner of Africa – Turkanas from Ethiopia; Kikuyu, Akamba and Meru from West Africa; and the Masai, Luo and Samburu from the southern part of Sudan.
However, archeological findings suggest that humanoids roamed here more than 20 million years ago. One of the most famous and complete hominid skeletons ever discovered is the 1.6 million year old Homo erectus known as the Turkana Boy, which is on display at the
Nairobi National Museum.
Kenya is thus fondly referred to as the cradle of humanity or the cradle of mankind from which descendents moved out to populate the world.
By around the 8th century Arabs, Indians, Persians and even Chinese were arriving on the Kenyan coast to trade skins, ivory, gold and spices. The Swahili language, a mixture of Bantu and Arabic then developed as a lingua franca for trade between the different peoples.
Arab dominance on the coast was eclipsed by the arrival of the Portuguese in 1498. The Portuguese built Fort Jesus in 1593, which today is one of Mombasa’s top tourist attractions . They gave way to Islamic control under the Imam of Oman in 1698 after a 33-month siege.
By 1730 all the Portuguese had left the East African coast for Mozambique, where they ruled territories, ports and settlements until 1975.
However, archeological findings suggest that humanoids roamed here more than 20 million years ago. One of the most famous and complete hominid skeletons ever discovered is the 1.6 million year old Homo erectus known as the Turkana Boy, which is on display at the
Nairobi National Museum.
Kenya is thus fondly referred to as the cradle of humanity or the cradle of mankind from which descendents moved out to populate the world.
By around the 8th century Arabs, Indians, Persians and even Chinese were arriving on the Kenyan coast to trade skins, ivory, gold and spices. The Swahili language, a mixture of Bantu and Arabic then developed as a lingua franca for trade between the different peoples.
Arab dominance on the coast was eclipsed by the arrival of the Portuguese in 1498. The Portuguese built Fort Jesus in 1593, which today is one of Mombasa’s top tourist attractions . They gave way to Islamic control under the Imam of Oman in 1698 after a 33-month siege.
By 1730 all the Portuguese had left the East African coast for Mozambique, where they ruled territories, ports and settlements until 1975.
