Who mapped Africa? Debunking the myth that Europeans alone plotted the continent

Who mapped Africa? Debunking the myth that Europeans alone plotted the continent - An 1805 European map depicting the mythical Mountains of Kong range. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Most African map traditions are undocumented or ephemeral. But ground and oral mapping was common in the pre-colonial period, and often highly valued. European explorers relied upon these indigenous mapping practices during their travels and sometimes incorporated them into their own maps.