Discusses Egypt, Kush, Meroe, kingdoms of the Old Sudan, Ghana, Mali, Timbuktu, Songhay, the Sao and Kanem, Carthage, Benin, Zanj, Kalambo, Sheba, coastal trade, Axum, Ethiopia, Engaruka, Zimbabwe, Mapungubwe, Inyanga and Niekerk, medieval Rhodesia, the Azanians, the Phoenicians, Djenne, El Masudi, Gao, the Iron Age, Kenya, Kilwa, Khartoum, Malindi, Mombasa, Monomotapa, Mozambique, Ophir, Punt, the Portuguese and the slave trade, Sofala, and more.

London ed. (Gollancz) has title: Old Africa rediscovered.

Introduction : the rediscovery of Africa -- 1. The peopling of ancient Africa -- 2. The mystery of Meroe -- 3. Kingdoms of the Old Sudan -- 4. Between the Niger and the Congo -- 5. To the southward -- 6. Traders of the Indian Ocean -- 7. Fair cities of stone -- 8. After Axum -- 9. The builders of the south -- 10. The reality behind the ruins -- 11. Decline and fall -- 12. History begins anew.