The Golden Rhinoceros: Histories of the African Middle Ages

Review "Fauvelle offers a brilliant riposte to how little we know about precolonial Africa: approach it from the perspective of global history. African history has never felt more alive. If I were a historian of Africa, this is the book that I would like to have written."―Timothy Brook, author of Vermeer's Hat and Mr. Selden's Map of China"An accessible and stimulating introduction to the richness of medieval Africa."―David Edwards, Medieval Archaeology"Beautifully written, [The Golden Rhinoceros] offers an exciting set of insights into African societies, from the birth of Islam in the seventh century up to the 15th century."―Hannah Skoda, BBC History Magazine"This is a masterful synthesis of knowledge about Africa that deserves to be read widely."―Myles Osborne, Medieval Review"A one-of-a-kind, eye-opening journey."―Esra Akın-Kıvanç, Speculum Product Description An unforgettable journey into the forgotten history of medieval AfricaFrom the birth of Islam in the seventh century to the voyages of European exploration in the fifteenth, Africa was at the center of a vibrant exchange of goods and ideas. It was an African golden age in which Ghâna, Nubia, and Zimbabwe became the crossroads of civilizations, and where African royals, thinkers, and artists played celebrated roles in an increasingly globalized world. François-Xavier Fauvelle brings this thrilling era marvelously to life. A book that finally recognizes Africa's important role in the Middle Ages, The Golden Rhinoceros carefully pieces together the written and archaeological evidence to tell an unforgettable story that is at once sensitive to Africa’s rich social diversity and alert to the trajectories that connected Africa with the wider Muslim and Christian worlds. Review "The 2018 Medieval Book of the Year" About the Author François-Xavier Fauvelle is professor at the Collège de France, Paris. One of the world's leading historians of ancient Africa, he has conducted archaeological digs in South Africa, Ethiopia, and Morocco.