'... an enormously useful book ... regional differences in approach and data availability are clear ... One of the books strengths is that Insoll provides much background information for the advent of Islam in Africa and for the context of Muslim societies there ... Insoll's thematic and continental synthesis is a stimulating pleasure to read and will long remain a valuable work of reference.' Cambridge Archaeological Journal '... Insoll's thematic and continental synthesis is a stimulating pleasure to read and will long remain a valuable work of reference.' Cambridge Archaeological Journal 'This is a book long overdue.' Antiquity 'It is a massive compendium of facts, sites and published opinions ... This is a useful book that helps to understand the wider picture of Islam in Africa.' Journal of African History 'Sub-Saharan Africa is a vast area, incorporating an incredible amount of cultural diversity and encompassing a myriad of material expressions, and this volume captures that diversity.' Journal of African Archaeology