Sierra Leone, Africa

Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea in the north-east, Liberia in the south- east, and the Atlantic Ocean in the south West. Freetown is its Capital. it has been inhabited continuously for at least 2,500 years. The use of iron was introduced in the 9th. century and by 1000 AD agriculture was being practiced in coastal areas by the tribes. Dense tropical rainforest was partly isolated it from other pre-colonial African Culture and spread of Islam.

In 1462 Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cintra first mapped the hills surrounding Freetown and gave its name as Serra Lyoa meaning Lion Mountains. Portuguese ships began visiting regulaarly in the late 1400s and andmaintained a forton theNorth shore of the Freetown estuary.

When Europeans first arrived at Sierra Leone, slavery among the African peoples of the area was rare.Historian Walter Rodney gave detailed report of the then situation.

At the begining, slavery in Sierra leone started by migrating a person in trouble from one kingdom to another where he placed himself in another kingdom under the protection of its king. Gradually he became a slave of that king and provided free labour and liable for sale.

Fragments of prehistoric pottery from Kamabai Rock shelter.