Diet. Rock paintings in the Sahara show that from early times domestic cattle and wild animals provided a stable source of food for West Africa. During the early part of the sixth century, people living along rivers and lakes caught fish and supplemented their diets by gathering wild vegetables and fruit. While some West Africans moved about in search of food, others domesticated animals—including cattle, goats, sheep, chickens, and dogs—and began to cultivate tropical crops such as millet, yams, and sorghum. Apart from hunting, fishing, and farming, people were also able to purchase food at local markets.

Fishing and Hunting. Some small fishing communities along the West African shoreline have existed since 1300. These fisherfolk exchanged ocean salt and dried fish with the farmers in the forests for yams, cattle, and goats. The people of Mali were...