Timeline of Eastern Africa

2000 BC- Migrating Nioini peoples appear In the area. They bring Yams, sorghum, cattle, and the Guinea fowl, as well as Geese from Egypt. They also bring bronze from Egypt, an important note.

1850 BC- Nioini peoples completely displace native Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They settle in the rift valley area.

1800 BC- Sorghum spreads like wildfire down the rift valley. First evidence of Nioini pastoralists in the Kenyan and Tanzanian highlands. Nioini cultures exemplify cattle worship. Temples are built to these Cattle. More disturbingly is the first evidence of bestiality.

1750 BC- Sacrifice of Geese is first noted. Cattle are untouched, but the Geese are slaughtered by the dozen.

1700 BC- Yams become more important around Lake Victoria. Kalanga culture evolves in the area. They are a subtropical Yam based culture.

1500 BC- Copper first appears in the area, causes frequent wars in the area. Large chiefdoms appear, and do battle in the Rift valley area. The highlands are mainly populated by Pastoralists who often invade when their cattle die of various things such as Sleeping sickness.

1400 BC- The swing plough is brought to the area from Egypt. By now, the area is teeming with trading cultures that do trade with both Egypt and to the far south the Ka.

1200 BC- Chariot warfare appears. Strangely enough, the chariots are driven by Oxen! They appear to be mainly for ritual shows. Most warfare consists of champions fighting it out, instead of armies fighting.

1100 BC- Khoisan languages in the area dissipate. Their contribution to the languages of the Rift valley is clicks. Clicks are often seen in the languages, today.

1000 BC- Ba-tun migration starts.

950 BC- The Ba-tun have displaced the Pygmies. They begin moving towards the great rift valley with great speed.

900 BC- They reach the Kalanga culture, which is abruptly destroyed by their massive numbers and superior weaponry. Their infantry wipe the Kalanga off. This triggers a collapse of the great rift valley states.

875 BC- Within 25 years the Ba-tun have destroyed the rift valley states. They move eastwards and southwards. This displaces the Nioini. They begin the ‘Great Trek’(Bolun!!ga!).

820 BC- The Nioini displace the Khoisan and the Ba-tun continue moving southwards. The Dark age of East Africa begins during this time. For some 200 years writing, trading, and other basic skills are lost. This seems to be an age of shrunken horizons and tribal fighting.

800 BC- The Nioini spread southeast towards Zimbabwe and southwards to South Africa.

750 BC- In the Nile source, a peculiar discovery is found. A temple to a god, possibly The East African Cow god, is here. It seems the Ba-tun have adopted local gods, but adapted them to some sort of centred Polytheism. This will develop more later.

725 BC- The appearance of Iron in the area is extremely surprising. It shows a deep understanding of metalworking and is a sign of things to come in the area. Still, artefacts of South African origin are no longer seen here.

700 BC- The end of the dark age. It is the beginning of a long age of city states and great trading kingdoms. The end of the dark age is marked importantly by coins of source in the gold mines of Glorious Zulunga(Zimbabwe). This hints at a new age of trading in the area. East African states appear along the coast and begin trading with polities in Yemen and Ethiopia.

694 BC- In East Africa the Ba-tun begin consolidating their hold on the region. Several hundred little kingdoms appear along the Great rift valley. Along the coast, Three great trading kingdoms stand out. One, Dar-Salaam, controls a large portion of Coastal Tanzania and Zanzibar, from where it is based. This hearty island kingdom is a great naval power, or will be, soon enough.

690 BC- the second kingdom in the area, a more northern interior trading kingdom, Galanu makes itself known when it defeats several kingdoms in the area. The intriguing thing is that it’s an Oligarchy, ruled by several Buluges. It distinguishes itself as a strong iron-based kingdom, and holds itself in high esteem.

686 BC- Zulunga’s gold appears in Dar-Salaam and Galanu. It finances their wars and trading expeditions, leading to a golden age of trade along the African coast.

680 BC- Various Yemeni Artefacts appear In Dar-Salaam. More surprising is the first trace of Horses in the area. They appear to be smuggled in from Yemen.

675 BC- Something similar to the Musket wars of the Maori occurs as kingdoms with Camels begin displacing kingdoms without Camels. In a terrifying feat of strength, Galanu quickly adopts horses and begins conquering the interior kingdoms with astonishing speed.

670 BC- The end of the wars in the area is marked by the dominance of Galanu which has subdued a huge area with its Camels.

660 BC- Camels spread to the rift valley but are unaccustomed to the heat of the area. They stay confined to the Tanzanian highlands for now.

651 BC- The Terrible wars occur between Galanu and Dar-Salaam. Dar-Salaam is now an aristocracy and challenges Galanu’s power. This leads to confrontation and finally outright war.

645 BC- After six years of fighting it turns into a stalemate. Neither side has the power to defeat the other. They sign a white peace and get back to their internal matters.

635 BC- The aristocrats are overthrown in Dar-Salaam by a tyrant. He declares that he will make the power of Dar-Salaam reach far beyond the island of Zanzibar. He also begins the first unintentional social experiment.

621 BC- Dar Salaam’s tyrant dies. In his wake, power is assumed by numerous other tyrants.

601 BC- The last tyrant dies. He is to be succeeded by an assembly of elected officials, ushering a new age in Dar-Salaam. On the mainland, Galanu is hungry for Dar-salaam’s wealth, and the interior Rift valley kingdoms want to expand. Meanwhile, the trade explosion causes a new period in East Africa’s history. For better or for worse, the age of Caravans has begun.