It is a well established historic fact that the Dagombas, Gonjas, Mamprussis and Moshies, all off whom occupy the northern part of modern Ghana, were the most prominent northern tribes to establish powerful kingdoms some hundreds of years before the establishment of similar powerful kingdoms in the south by their Akan counterparts.

 

This they were able to achieve because they possessed skilful craftsmanship in the art of iron smelting that enable them to manufacture weapons for defence and security, besides use of iron in manufacturing implements used in day to day activities.

 

Very often the vital art of iron smelting, the real factor responsible for changing the course of history and the shaping of civilization, is left out when describing historical processes, which is very wrong. Let us search through our historical records and bring them out for a better understanding of our past.

 

Dagombas, Gonjas, Mamprusis and Moshies are distinct tribal groups whose links with the Ghana, Mali and Songhai empires can be easily traced. For example the Moshies are reported to have attached the powerful Songhai Kingdom and temporarily occupied Timbuktoo in 1300 AD.

 

From the above it is not difficult to arrive at the conclusion that this vital knowledge of iron smelting was something these tribes inherited from the old empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhai all of which were heavily influenced by Islam. These empires were very skilful in the smelting of iron and use of the latter in the manufacture of weapons for defence.

 

Without arms to protect them the kingdoms they founded would not have been able to survive for over thousand years. Their enemies would have defeated them, thereby making them become extinct.

 

From interviews conducted the following is the picture that emerges concerning how iron was manufactured in the north, long before the advent of European Powers in the 14^th century in Ghana. As is always the case with all other African scientific and technological innovations these were preceded by the performance of rituals so that the “gods” would bless the process and make it yield higher amount of iron.