Jigsaw puzzle

Date: 1821-1850

Accession number: 32.151/7

Material: wood & paper

Measurements: Box: W 204 mm; D 159 mm; H 56 mm; Puzzle: W 450 mm; H 450 mm [CCity]

This black and white wooden jigsaw is made up of 28 pieces which show a map of African when the puzzle is completed. The box describes it as 'Africa divided into its several regions and laid down according to the most exact observations'. At this time, most of Africa was ruled by Africans themselves, who traded mainly with Arabs, though increasingly with Europeans. The so-called 'Scramble for Africa' took place during the final two decades of the 19th century. This involved European powers like Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Belgium dividing Africa up between them. The Berlin Conference in 1884-5 set out rules according to which Europe seized African territories using armed force.