Kintampo Complex and Its Innovations

The Kintampo Complex was an ancient civilization in modern-day Ghana, thriving around 3,500 to 1,500 BCE. They were pioneers in agriculture, transitioning from hunter-gatherers to a mixed economy of farming, animal husbandry, and trade. They cultivated crops like yams and domesticated pearl millet, contributing to early trade networks. The Birami site provides evidence of their advanced agricultural practices and cultural sophistication. Despite their decline around 1500 BCE, their influence laid the groundwork for future West African civilizations.

What is the Kintampo Complex known for in the context of West African history?

• The first to use iron tools

• Being the first empire in Africa

• Early agricultural and cultural innovations

• The largest kingdom in ancient Ghana

How did the Kintampo people change their lifestyle?

• They transitioned to a mixed economy

• They focused solely on hunting

• They abandoned agriculture

• They became nomadic herders

Which crop was first domesticated by the Kintampo people?

• Rice

• Wheat

• Pearl Millet

• Maize

What was a key technological advancement of the Kintampo Complex?

• The creation of written language

• The invention of the wheel

• The use of polished axes for land clearing

• The development of metal tools

What does the Birami site reveal about the Kintampo people?

• They were the first to build pyramids

• They invented the plow

• They had advanced agricultural practices

• They were primarily fishermen

What significant discovery was made at the Birami site?

• The oldest known iron tools

• The first evidence of written language

• The largest ancient city in Africa

• The oldest Pearl Millet in the region

What does the presence of beads and shells at Kintampo sites suggest?

• A lack of cultural development

• An appreciation for art and identity

• A focus on military conquests

• A reliance on marine resources

What likely caused the decline of the Kintampo Complex?

• The discovery of new lands

• Invasion by neighboring tribes

• Environmental changes

• A shift to a nomadic lifestyle

How did the Kintampo Complex influence later West African cultures?

• By creating a unified language

• By establishing a vast empire

• By laying agricultural and technological foundations

• By introducing iron smelting

What does the Kintampo Complex remind us about Ghana's history?

• It was primarily a military power

• It is a recent development

• It was isolated from other cultures

• It is deeply connected to human innovation