Around 1670. Loango was the centre of a rich and powerful trading kingdom during the 16th and 17th centuries. By the 18th century its rulers had been lured into slave trading. As fewer people shared the profits of this the City’s older trades withered away and Loango went into decline.
© Museum of London
Accession reference: Museum of London, 2006.44/40
Themes
-
Africa before Transatlantic Enslavement
The history of Africa and African people does not begin nor end with transatlantic slavery. Understand what Africa was like and what the continent lost as a result of the trade.
Background Reading
-
The Lost Libraries Of Timbuktu
Until recently, many commentators on Africa claimed that African societies had no tradition of writing. With the rediscovery of ancient manuscript collections, some dating back to the 8th century AD, this perception is changing.
-
Introduction To Various African Kingdoms