Three broad divisions of Bantus - the Southwestern, the West-Central, & the Eastern.
Urewe, Kalundu, and Luangwa
Urewe was an early Bantu group that reached northern Zambia in 7th century BC. There were related groups in Great Lakes, Tanzania, & Kenya. There were invasions from Bantu groups to west of Urewe in 5th century AD and to east of Urewe in 9th century AD. Urewe were first Bantu group to settle the Zambezi River all the way to Sesheke (red dot on map).
Kalundu & Kalongola settled all of southern Zambia by 5th century AD, and they were succeeded by the Lungwa in the 7th century AD.
Urewe, Kalundu, and Luangwa archaeological traditions of Zambia all derive from an original neolithic culture in Shum Laka in western Cameroon. Kalundu Tradition began in neolithic Congo, adopted ironworking, then spread along rivers surrounded by savannas. Uruwe and Lugwa traditions overran them in Gabon and the Congo. Author believes current residents of Victoria Falls are descended from a mix of three groups - one of which arrived in 17th and another which arrived in 19th century.
Expansion
- Bantus adopted agriculture 3000 BC in SE Nigeria & NW Cameroon, which caused their population to expand.
- W Central Bantus split first & left urheimat.
- In 2500 BC remaining Bantus split between E Bantus & NW/SW Bantus. E Bantus & SW Bantus then left urheimat by different routes.
- SW Bantus south migrated from Epona in Gabon in 1100 BC to Sefula in Zambia in 500 AD.
- W Central Bantus followed Congo River & its tributaries in their expansion. W Central Bantus were neolithic, E Bantus taught them ironworking between 400 BC & 400 AD.
- SW Bantus reached the Ogooue River by 2000 BC. Bantus had goats prior to their split. Yams, oil palms, Bambara groundnuts, cow peas, & beans were known by proto-Bantus, but pearl millet spread later, maybe as late as late 1st millennium BC.
- E Bantus advanced along the northern savannas 2500-1500 BC, coming in contact with Central Sudanics, Adamawa–Ubangis, & Nilo-Saharans. They didn’t learn ironworking until they arrived at Great Lakes. Ironworking allowed them to expand into Gabon & the Congo Basin 400 BC - 500 AD.
- Shona arrived in South Africa in 5th century AD, but were pushed north into Zimbabwe by (Fokeng-speaking?) West Central Bantus in 12th & 13th centuries. The Shona pushed Sotho-Tswanas out of Zimbabwe & into South Africa.
- Political consolidation & mass migration in late 18th and early 19th century southern Africa as far north as Zambia, driven in part by Zulu conquests under Shaka.
- One group of Sothos fled north from Zulus in 1823 & conquered the Lui in Zambia. In 1864 the Lui rose up & killed all Sotho men there.
- Some Ngunis also fled north from the Zulus, ending up in Malawi. New military techniques from Zulus enabled both groups of refugees to conquer.
Influence
- Pygmies had population density of 1 per 10km^2 & had little influence on Bantus.
- Batwa pygmies were the Wilton archaeological tradition in central Zambia and gradually adopted pottery from Bantu farmers to the east prior to being absorbed or destroyed. Some Batwa fully adopted Bantu culture and survive in Lukanga Swamps of NE Zambia & Kafue Flats of S Zambia.
- Nilo-Saharans & Cushites much more influential - giving Bantus words for ironworking, sorghum, cattle, sheep, & various agricultural products. Khoisan learned pastoralism from Bantus.
- Copper mines in NW Zambia/SE Congo greatly enriched the kings who controlled them, leading to development of centralized states in the region from 400 to 1600 AD.