The Horse in West African History

Download or read book The Horse in West African History written by Robin Law and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-08-16 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published in 1980 and here re-issued with an updated preface, this book deals with the role of the horse in the societies of West Africa during the pre-colonial period. It traces the history of its introduction and its diffusion within West Africa, and examines the problems of maintaining horses in such a harsh environment. The use of horses in warfare in analysed but the non-military aspects of the West African horse culture are also discussed, principally the use of horses as tokens of status and wealth. The book includes a review of the decline of the West African horse culture in the 20th century, reflecting the passing of a political system based on warfare and slavery.