ABSTRACT
The Swahili coast is roughly that area between the southern Somalia coast and northern Mozambique. This is an area dotted with stone-built settlements of domestic houses, mosques, tombs, wells and well-planned narrow streets running north–south and east–west. These settlements were built by the Swahili-speaking people of eastern Africa, a Bantu African-speaking people who for centuries have interacted through trade with the outside world and particularly with the Arabs of the Near and Middle East. Arabs started visiting this coast as early as the first century ce or even before. In the course of visits and trade, some settled, intermarried with the locals and became part of Swahili society. There is no doubt therefore that there has been a long period of intermingling of various groups (including Europeans) on this coast and Swahili society – although intrinsically African – has been the beneficiary of this interaction.
