Earlier Substantial Sub-Saharan Trade

Camels were first domesticated in Somalia and made their way to Egypt I believe.
On the other hand, there's also a [fairly recent] hypothesis that the only wild camels were actually of the 'Bactrian' [i.e.two-humped] type, in Central Asia, with the 'Arabian' type having been developed from this by selective breeding (to work in hotter climates) after domestication.
 
Well we also need a larger sub Saharan population earlier on. Plant more sorghum with the plough, and upgrade to quern mill instead of pestle/mortar and saddle stones.

How well do cattle do for plow work? Even in tsetse fly free zones, Sub-Saharan Africa so close to the equator isn't optimal habitat for cows without the additional stress of plow work.
 
How well do cattle do for plow work? Even in tsetse fly free zones, Sub-Saharan Africa so close to the equator isn't optimal habitat for cows without the additional stress of plow work.

Cattle work fields all over tropical Africa today. It's probably less effective than elsewhere, but still much more preferable to hoeing by hand.
 
Top