Abstract

Much research on the history of south-central and southeast African societies prior to the coming of colonial rule has made use of historical documents to a greater or lesser degree. These documents, written by colonial administrators, traders, missionaries, naval officers, chroniclers and travellers are generally ‘external’ narratives written for external purposes, foremost among which was the exploitation of the land and people. Although this imbues documentation with a multitude of biases, this does not preclude careful and critical use of documentary records for the study of African societies and environments. This is especially true when documents are used alongside other source types from other disciplines such as archaeology, oral history, linguistics, palaeoecology and palaeoclimatology. Many documents are housed in European archives, which poses challenges around accessibility. However, endeavours to produce source databases and develop digital archives are beginning to change this picture, providing scope for renewed scholarship on aspects of the history of Africa from the early-sixteenth century through to the end of the nineteenth century.