It has long been recognized that archaeology in sub-Saharan Africa, and its public manifestation ... more It has long been recognized that archaeology in sub-Saharan Africa, and its public manifestation through the medium of museums, emerged within the context of European colonial rule, and that legacies of colonialism continue to shape archaeological practice across the continent. Following independence there has been steady indigenization, initially in terms of personnel but subsequently also in terms of organizational structure and research agendas. Recent calls for a ‘post-colonial archaeology’ liberated from the constraints imposed by ‘the colonial archive’, have highlighted many of the challenges that remain. Nevertheless, indigenization has also resulted in the production of more nationalistic and/or Afrocentric perspectives. These echo some of the sentiments voiced by the first generation of African political leaders regarding the need to recover a truly ‘African past’, which have also been revived in more recent calls for an African Renaissance as articulated by NEPAD, among others. This paper explores these developments so as to highlight some of the inconsistencies and inherent contradictions of current conceptualizations of postcolonial archaeology in sub-Saharan African contexts.
East and West Usambara Mountain blocks are unique based on three characteristics. Firstly, they a... more East and West Usambara Mountain blocks are unique based on three characteristics. Firstly, they are connected blocks; secondly, they have an oceanic-influenced climate; and thirdly, the rain seasons are not easily discernible due to their close proximity to the Indian Ocean and Equator. Sediment cores were collected from peat bogs in Derema (DRM) and Mbomole (MBML) in East Usambara and from Madumu (DUMU) in West Usambara. The multiproxy record provides an understanding on climate and vegetation changes during the last 5000 years. DRM and MBML cores result in radiocarbon ages and age-depth curve which showed hiatus at 20 cm and 61 cm and huge inversion for DUMU core at 57 cm. Period 5000–4000 14 C yr BP for DUMU core revealed increased Montane forest indicative of relatively moist conditions. Periods 3000–2000 and 2000–1000 14 C yr BP, DUMU core demonstrated increased submontane and lowland forests. Period 1000–200 14 C yr BP, DUMU core signified increased coprophilous fungi while DR...
Mombasa Island, settled for almost 2000 years, played a central role in the development of the ce... more Mombasa Island, settled for almost 2000 years, played a central role in the development of the central seaboard of East Africa, emerging by the 16th century as a centre of sustained port dominance. Marine geoarchaeological surveys were conducted in Mombasa Harbour in 2001 (i) to quantify the nature and extent of the submerged archaeological resource, (ii) to investigate site formation and preservation potential of historic shipwrecks, and (iii) to explore the natural evolution of the Old Port and adjacent basins in the context of hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes. Backscatter and single-beam echo-sounder data were acquired, interpreted and diver-truthed using surface-demand and SCUBA systems. It is proposed that sustained scour processes, resultant from the interaction of ebb and flood tidal currents with bedrock ridges, control the bathymetric evolution of Mombasa Harbour, negating requirement for mechanical dredging. The submerged archaeological resource in the area comprises...
Page 1. Middle Holocene Fishing Strategies in East Africa: Zooarchaeological Analysis of Pundo, a... more Page 1. Middle Holocene Fishing Strategies in East Africa: Zooarchaeological Analysis of Pundo, a Kansyore Shell Midden in Northern Nyanza (Kenya) ME PRENDERGASTa* AND PJ LANEb a Department of Anthropology, Harvard ...
Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 2015
ABSTRACT Recent decades have witnessed a growth in approaches to research and writing across anth... more ABSTRACT Recent decades have witnessed a growth in approaches to research and writing across anthropology's four fields that emphasize the need to respect alternative narratives and constructions of history, and to engage with anthropology's ‘publics’. These developments have generated more ethically responsible research and more inclusive writing practices. Nevertheless, the actual doing of cross-cultural collaboration and knowledge production remains a challenge. In this three-field (cultural, biological, and archaeological anthropology) study, we aim to capture, in writing, a process of collaborative fieldwork with Samburu pastoralists in northern Kenya that experimentally integrated ethnographic self-scrutiny with a bio-archaeological excavation involving human remains. In the process, we highlight the reciprocal knowledge production that this cross-subdisciplinary, transcultural fieldwork produced.« C’est le maendeleo qui les a enlevés » : dérangements funéraires et production de connaissances réciproque dans un contexte d’archéologie collaborativeRésuméDepuis quelques décennies, les approches de la recherche et de l’écriture dans les quatre domaines de l’anthropologie qui soulignent la nécessité de respecter d’autres modes de narration et de construction de l’histoire et d’interagir avec les « publics » se sont multipliés. Cette évolution a donné naissance à une recherche plus responsable du point de vue éthique et à des pratiques d’écriture plus inclusives. Il n’en reste pas moins que la mise en place même d’une collaboration interculturelle et la production de connaissances y afférentes reste difficile. Dans cette étude menée dans trois domaines (anthropologie culturelle, biologique et archéologique), nous voulons restituer, par l’écriture, un processus de travail de terrain collaboratif avec des pasteurs Samburu dans le nord du Kenya, qui intégrait à titre expérimental un auto-examen ethnographique et des fouilles bio-archéologiques impliquant des restes humains. Dans ce contexte, nous mettons en lumière la production réciproque de savoir que ce travail de terrain inter-subdisciplinaire et interculturel a suscitée.
ABSTRACT This commentary explores the intersection of the different ethical concerns raised by th... more ABSTRACT This commentary explores the intersection of the different ethical concerns raised by the contributors. In particular it discusses the need to move beyond simple rule following and regulation in order to incorporate the dual notions of 'care of the self' and the 'constitution of persons through their relationships to other persons' as fundamental to the creation of ethical subjects within the field of African archaeology.
In January 2001, a team of researchers from the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) conducted... more In January 2001, a team of researchers from the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) conducted an innovative maritime archaeology project on the East African coast in partnership with the British Institute in Eastern Africa and the National Museums of Kenya. ...
1 British Institute in Eastern Africa, PO Box 30710, Nairobi, Kenya 2 Archaeology Unit, Universit... more 1 British Institute in Eastern Africa, PO Box 30710, Nairobi, Kenya 2 Archaeology Unit, University of Dar es Salaam, PO Box 35050, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 3 Dept for Natural Resources and the Environment, SIDA, 10525 Stockholm, Sweden
ABSTRACT East and West Usambara Mountain blocks are unique based on three characteristics. Firstl... more ABSTRACT East and West Usambara Mountain blocks are unique based on three characteristics. Firstly, they are connected blocks; secondly, they have an oceanic-influenced climate; and thirdly, the rain seasons are not easily discernible due to their close proximity to the Indian Ocean and Equator. Sediment cores were collected from peat bogs in Derema (DRM) and Mbomole (MBML) in East Usambara and from Madumu (DUMU) in West Usambara. The multiproxy record provides an understanding on climate and vegetation changes during the last 5000 years. DRM and MBML cores result in radiocarbon ages and age-depth curve which showed hiatus at 20 cm and 61 cm and huge inversion for DUMU core at 57 cm. Period 5000–4000 14C yr BP for DUMU core revealed increased Montane forest indicative of relatively moist conditions. Periods 3000–2000 and 2000–1000 14C yr BP, DUMU core demonstrated increased submontane and lowland forests. Period 1000–200 14C yr BP, DUMU core signified increased coprophilous fungi while DRM and MBML cores signified fluctuating herbaceous pollen spectra (wet-dry episodes). Period 200 14C yr BP to present, all cores demonstrated stable recovery of forest types especially dominance of submontane forests. Abundant coprophilous fungi indicated increased human impacts including forest fires, cultivation, and grazing.
... Such studies could also feed into broader theoretical debates about the relative 'resili... more ... Such studies could also feed into broader theoretical debates about the relative 'resilience' of different ... In The Qualities of Time (eds W. James and D. Mills). ... Inclusions, exclusions and transitions: Torres Strait Islander constructed landscapes over the past 4000 years, northeast ...
ABSTRACT Star Carr has an international reputation in archaeology but it was just a small part of... more ABSTRACT Star Carr has an international reputation in archaeology but it was just a small part of a former lakescape which has been systematically investigated at various periods over the last 60 years. The palaeo-lake and associated sites were first investigated by John W. Moore, a local amateur archaeologist and his findings led to the better known excavations of Grahame Clark. After a hiatus in research, survey and excavation resumed in the 1970s and has been ongoing ever since. The support over the last 25 years of the Vale of Pickering Research Trust has enabled the palaeo-Lake Flixton to be mapped prompting the discovery of new Early Mesolithic sites, resulting in an unparalleled understanding of an Early Mesolithic lakescape. In addition, Star Carr has been revisited at various times revealing new insights and further questions that remain to be answered. This paper presents a history of the investigations from the initial discoveries of Moore to the present day, and considers a range of issues including support, resourcing and the training of future generations of archaeologists.
ABSTRACT Book description: Traditionally, Historical Archaeology has had a North American or Euro... more ABSTRACT Book description: Traditionally, Historical Archaeology has had a North American or European stance, focusing on the interplay between historical documents and the archaeological record. For Africa, with its non-traditional historical sources, this interplay is not as applicable. These sources also inform the period of contact with Europeans, during which the shape of the modern continent was inexorably defined. By focusing on such sources, it becomes possible to present historical understandings which access African experiences with outsiders and other African populations. This volume explores the range of interactions between the historical sources and archaeology that are available on the African continent. The contributions, written by a range of experts on different aspects of African archaeology, present the underlying issues such as: - The conflict and collaboration in the foundation of modern Africa; - African trading communities maintaining their independence from Europe; - The impacts of the Atlantic slave trade. This represents the first consideration of historical archaeology over the African continent as a whole and therefore provides an important review for African archaeologists and historians. This seminal volume also explores Africa's place in global systems of thought and economic development for historical archaeologists and historians alike.
It has long been recognized that archaeology in sub-Saharan Africa, and its public manifestation ... more It has long been recognized that archaeology in sub-Saharan Africa, and its public manifestation through the medium of museums, emerged within the context of European colonial rule, and that legacies of colonialism continue to shape archaeological practice across the continent. Following independence there has been steady indigenization, initially in terms of personnel but subsequently also in terms of organizational structure and research agendas. Recent calls for a ‘post-colonial archaeology’ liberated from the constraints imposed by ‘the colonial archive’, have highlighted many of the challenges that remain. Nevertheless, indigenization has also resulted in the production of more nationalistic and/or Afrocentric perspectives. These echo some of the sentiments voiced by the first generation of African political leaders regarding the need to recover a truly ‘African past’, which have also been revived in more recent calls for an African Renaissance as articulated by NEPAD, among others. This paper explores these developments so as to highlight some of the inconsistencies and inherent contradictions of current conceptualizations of postcolonial archaeology in sub-Saharan African contexts.
East and West Usambara Mountain blocks are unique based on three characteristics. Firstly, they a... more East and West Usambara Mountain blocks are unique based on three characteristics. Firstly, they are connected blocks; secondly, they have an oceanic-influenced climate; and thirdly, the rain seasons are not easily discernible due to their close proximity to the Indian Ocean and Equator. Sediment cores were collected from peat bogs in Derema (DRM) and Mbomole (MBML) in East Usambara and from Madumu (DUMU) in West Usambara. The multiproxy record provides an understanding on climate and vegetation changes during the last 5000 years. DRM and MBML cores result in radiocarbon ages and age-depth curve which showed hiatus at 20 cm and 61 cm and huge inversion for DUMU core at 57 cm. Period 5000–4000 14 C yr BP for DUMU core revealed increased Montane forest indicative of relatively moist conditions. Periods 3000–2000 and 2000–1000 14 C yr BP, DUMU core demonstrated increased submontane and lowland forests. Period 1000–200 14 C yr BP, DUMU core signified increased coprophilous fungi while DR...
Mombasa Island, settled for almost 2000 years, played a central role in the development of the ce... more Mombasa Island, settled for almost 2000 years, played a central role in the development of the central seaboard of East Africa, emerging by the 16th century as a centre of sustained port dominance. Marine geoarchaeological surveys were conducted in Mombasa Harbour in 2001 (i) to quantify the nature and extent of the submerged archaeological resource, (ii) to investigate site formation and preservation potential of historic shipwrecks, and (iii) to explore the natural evolution of the Old Port and adjacent basins in the context of hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes. Backscatter and single-beam echo-sounder data were acquired, interpreted and diver-truthed using surface-demand and SCUBA systems. It is proposed that sustained scour processes, resultant from the interaction of ebb and flood tidal currents with bedrock ridges, control the bathymetric evolution of Mombasa Harbour, negating requirement for mechanical dredging. The submerged archaeological resource in the area comprises...
Page 1. Middle Holocene Fishing Strategies in East Africa: Zooarchaeological Analysis of Pundo, a... more Page 1. Middle Holocene Fishing Strategies in East Africa: Zooarchaeological Analysis of Pundo, a Kansyore Shell Midden in Northern Nyanza (Kenya) ME PRENDERGASTa* AND PJ LANEb a Department of Anthropology, Harvard ...
Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 2015
ABSTRACT Recent decades have witnessed a growth in approaches to research and writing across anth... more ABSTRACT Recent decades have witnessed a growth in approaches to research and writing across anthropology's four fields that emphasize the need to respect alternative narratives and constructions of history, and to engage with anthropology's ‘publics’. These developments have generated more ethically responsible research and more inclusive writing practices. Nevertheless, the actual doing of cross-cultural collaboration and knowledge production remains a challenge. In this three-field (cultural, biological, and archaeological anthropology) study, we aim to capture, in writing, a process of collaborative fieldwork with Samburu pastoralists in northern Kenya that experimentally integrated ethnographic self-scrutiny with a bio-archaeological excavation involving human remains. In the process, we highlight the reciprocal knowledge production that this cross-subdisciplinary, transcultural fieldwork produced.« C’est le maendeleo qui les a enlevés » : dérangements funéraires et production de connaissances réciproque dans un contexte d’archéologie collaborativeRésuméDepuis quelques décennies, les approches de la recherche et de l’écriture dans les quatre domaines de l’anthropologie qui soulignent la nécessité de respecter d’autres modes de narration et de construction de l’histoire et d’interagir avec les « publics » se sont multipliés. Cette évolution a donné naissance à une recherche plus responsable du point de vue éthique et à des pratiques d’écriture plus inclusives. Il n’en reste pas moins que la mise en place même d’une collaboration interculturelle et la production de connaissances y afférentes reste difficile. Dans cette étude menée dans trois domaines (anthropologie culturelle, biologique et archéologique), nous voulons restituer, par l’écriture, un processus de travail de terrain collaboratif avec des pasteurs Samburu dans le nord du Kenya, qui intégrait à titre expérimental un auto-examen ethnographique et des fouilles bio-archéologiques impliquant des restes humains. Dans ce contexte, nous mettons en lumière la production réciproque de savoir que ce travail de terrain inter-subdisciplinaire et interculturel a suscitée.
ABSTRACT This commentary explores the intersection of the different ethical concerns raised by th... more ABSTRACT This commentary explores the intersection of the different ethical concerns raised by the contributors. In particular it discusses the need to move beyond simple rule following and regulation in order to incorporate the dual notions of 'care of the self' and the 'constitution of persons through their relationships to other persons' as fundamental to the creation of ethical subjects within the field of African archaeology.
In January 2001, a team of researchers from the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) conducted... more In January 2001, a team of researchers from the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) conducted an innovative maritime archaeology project on the East African coast in partnership with the British Institute in Eastern Africa and the National Museums of Kenya. ...
1 British Institute in Eastern Africa, PO Box 30710, Nairobi, Kenya 2 Archaeology Unit, Universit... more 1 British Institute in Eastern Africa, PO Box 30710, Nairobi, Kenya 2 Archaeology Unit, University of Dar es Salaam, PO Box 35050, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 3 Dept for Natural Resources and the Environment, SIDA, 10525 Stockholm, Sweden
ABSTRACT East and West Usambara Mountain blocks are unique based on three characteristics. Firstl... more ABSTRACT East and West Usambara Mountain blocks are unique based on three characteristics. Firstly, they are connected blocks; secondly, they have an oceanic-influenced climate; and thirdly, the rain seasons are not easily discernible due to their close proximity to the Indian Ocean and Equator. Sediment cores were collected from peat bogs in Derema (DRM) and Mbomole (MBML) in East Usambara and from Madumu (DUMU) in West Usambara. The multiproxy record provides an understanding on climate and vegetation changes during the last 5000 years. DRM and MBML cores result in radiocarbon ages and age-depth curve which showed hiatus at 20 cm and 61 cm and huge inversion for DUMU core at 57 cm. Period 5000–4000 14C yr BP for DUMU core revealed increased Montane forest indicative of relatively moist conditions. Periods 3000–2000 and 2000–1000 14C yr BP, DUMU core demonstrated increased submontane and lowland forests. Period 1000–200 14C yr BP, DUMU core signified increased coprophilous fungi while DRM and MBML cores signified fluctuating herbaceous pollen spectra (wet-dry episodes). Period 200 14C yr BP to present, all cores demonstrated stable recovery of forest types especially dominance of submontane forests. Abundant coprophilous fungi indicated increased human impacts including forest fires, cultivation, and grazing.
... Such studies could also feed into broader theoretical debates about the relative 'resili... more ... Such studies could also feed into broader theoretical debates about the relative 'resilience' of different ... In The Qualities of Time (eds W. James and D. Mills). ... Inclusions, exclusions and transitions: Torres Strait Islander constructed landscapes over the past 4000 years, northeast ...
ABSTRACT Star Carr has an international reputation in archaeology but it was just a small part of... more ABSTRACT Star Carr has an international reputation in archaeology but it was just a small part of a former lakescape which has been systematically investigated at various periods over the last 60 years. The palaeo-lake and associated sites were first investigated by John W. Moore, a local amateur archaeologist and his findings led to the better known excavations of Grahame Clark. After a hiatus in research, survey and excavation resumed in the 1970s and has been ongoing ever since. The support over the last 25 years of the Vale of Pickering Research Trust has enabled the palaeo-Lake Flixton to be mapped prompting the discovery of new Early Mesolithic sites, resulting in an unparalleled understanding of an Early Mesolithic lakescape. In addition, Star Carr has been revisited at various times revealing new insights and further questions that remain to be answered. This paper presents a history of the investigations from the initial discoveries of Moore to the present day, and considers a range of issues including support, resourcing and the training of future generations of archaeologists.
ABSTRACT Book description: Traditionally, Historical Archaeology has had a North American or Euro... more ABSTRACT Book description: Traditionally, Historical Archaeology has had a North American or European stance, focusing on the interplay between historical documents and the archaeological record. For Africa, with its non-traditional historical sources, this interplay is not as applicable. These sources also inform the period of contact with Europeans, during which the shape of the modern continent was inexorably defined. By focusing on such sources, it becomes possible to present historical understandings which access African experiences with outsiders and other African populations. This volume explores the range of interactions between the historical sources and archaeology that are available on the African continent. The contributions, written by a range of experts on different aspects of African archaeology, present the underlying issues such as: - The conflict and collaboration in the foundation of modern Africa; - African trading communities maintaining their independence from Europe; - The impacts of the Atlantic slave trade. This represents the first consideration of historical archaeology over the African continent as a whole and therefore provides an important review for African archaeologists and historians. This seminal volume also explores Africa's place in global systems of thought and economic development for historical archaeologists and historians alike.
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