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AA Table of Contents 46
Table of Contents 46
Tollo Eloi Cyrille. Métallurgie du fer dans la rive gauche de la Sanaga. Etude de
l’atelier de réduction du fer d’Elig-Zogo Philadelphia au Cameroun……………….1
Mandeng Jean Robert. Les fouilles archéologiques de Nkolandom: contribution
à la connaissance du peuplement ancien au sud Cameroun le cas des abris sous
roche de Dum Ebete Akok et Nkomeyos…………………………………………………..18
Elouga Martin. Fortifications in Tikars Chiefdoms. Temporal security borders
and indicators of an autarchic economic and social life in peace or war time.
A contribution to historical archaeology in Cameroon.………………………………34
Biveridge Fritz. Trade Feuds and Armed Confrontations: Archaeological
indications at Forts Eliza Carthago and Ruychaver, Western Region,
Ghana…………………………………………………………………………………………………….52
Wellington Ing. H. N. A., Fritz Biveridge and Daniel Kuma. Iconoclasm,
Antithesis to Cultural Heritage Conservation in Ghana – A Case-Study of
Conflicts Typology in the Danish-Osu Heritage Setting……………………………….69
Emuobosa Akpo Orijemie, . Holocene vegetation change in the forests of
southwest Nigeria: Inferences from Lowland Rainforest Species
Diversity……………………………………………………………………………………………..86
Pogoson Ohioma Ifounu. Interrogating Anthropomorphism in Benin and
Northern Edo Art: Some Tentative Notes for Historical Clarifications…………103Garba Abubakar. Archaeology Of The Chad Basin, North East Nigeria: Success
Story And Limitations…………………………………………………………………………….120 -
Archaeological excavations of Nkolandom: contribution to the knowledge of the old settlement in the south Cameroun the case of the rock shelters of Dum Ebete Akok and Nkomeyos (Cameroun-Southerner) preliminary Notes
$10.00Par
Jean robert Mandeng
Chercheur au Centre National d’Education
Email: [email protected]Abstract
This study presents the results of an archaeology study about surface collection and
in stratigraphy lead in four rock-shelters from Nkolandom region (southern
Cameroon forest). It has been carried out through research cooperation between the
ministry of higher education and the University of Yaoundé I. The first drill holes
made in Nkolandom rock-shelter provide new information’s about space
occupation in the three likely phases. The first sequence could be the Late Stone agewhich manifests itself through the presence of lithic such as erasing, knife/scraper-
eraser, splinter and nibs. The second sequence, probably the Stone age unfoldsthrough coarsened earthenware characterized by impression from small card and
small wheel plaited. The third sequence concerns the ongoing period through oral
sources linked to the settlement of Bulu (Ndong clan) in that locality. -
Archaeological Reconnaissance, Cultural Documentation And Archaeo- Tourism Possibilities Of Orile-Owu, Sout
$10.00Kingsley C. DARAOJIMB
Department of Archaeology and Anthr
University
+2348082403981
[email protected]Introduction
Archaeological reconnaissance is a systematic approach of survey employed by
archaeologists for the purpose of locating, describing and documenting
archaeological sites. It is a deliberate search for artefacts or features associated with
the cultural history of a group of people. This is done so as to uncover aspects of the
written/unwritten past of the people under study in order to understand their history
and cultural development. Investigation of this kind entails two methods of
approach. First, the naked eyes and previous knowledge of the history, geography
and geology of the area; and second, the use of scientific methods such as aerial
photo and thermal infrared imagery, electrical resistivity, electromagnetic
conductivity and Ground Penetrating Radar systems (Andah and Okpoko, 1994).
Due to financial constraints in Nigeria, the use of scientific devices is not always
considered by archaeologists who often lack adequate funding. However, the use of
the naked eyes and previous knowledge of the area adopted in this study, though
laborious, is generally and widely practised by many archaeologists as one of the
rituals of fieldwork globally. Not just because of its affordability but also the fact
that it provides an avenue of firsthand interaction, mastery and understanding of the
landscape thereby enhancing a better interpretation.
Previous researches conducted at Orile-Owu point to it as an area worthy of
archaeological research due to the richness and indeed, romance of the local sociocultural
landscape. Such studies have focused on the impact of its natural and
cultural resources on socio-economic development in Nigeria (Adejobi, 2001);
practice of blacksmithing (Ijegbai, 2001); and its tourism potentials (Ebonine,
2010; Ogundele and Ebonine, 2010). In addition, the Department of Archaeology
and Anthropology, University of Ibadan carried out a five-year project (2010-2014)
on the origins, migrations and settlement of the people of Owu. This paper presents
a report of archaeological survey carried out at Orile-Owu. The report advances on
the research of Ogundele and Ebonine (2010) by taking a step further to examine the
cultural and natural landscapes and provide a tangible document of inventory of
cultural features/materials in the area.. Results from this current research will to a
West Afri. Journ of Arch. Vol. 46 (2) 2016
greater extent push back the frontiers of knowledge with respect to the peopling of
the region within the confines of natural and socio-cultural adaptation. This
underscores the reason why investigations in the area were targeted at searching,
recovering and documenting archaeological features/artefacts in a systematic and
socially engaging manner. This involved answering certain pertinent questions
with regard to nature of the cultural and natural landscape and cultural identities of
the people. -
Archaeology of The Chad Basin, North East Nigeria: Success Story And Limitations
$10.00Abubakar Garba
Centre for Trans-Saharan Studies,
University of Maiduguri,
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]Abstract
The Chad Basin covers an area of about 2.4million sq.km, but the conventional
basin which is under the jurisdiction of Lake Chad Basin Commission is about
1.00million sq km and hosts about 30 million inhabitants from five member
countries, namely; Nigeria, Niger, Central African Republic, Chad and Cameroun.
Agriculture, fishing and livestock rearing that rely on the water resources of the
basin are the primary sources of income for this population. The region provides a
fascinating scenario with regard to abundant archaeological, historical and living
cultural resources. Archaeologically, it is a region with vast archaeological
resources some of which made a great imprint not only within the sub-region but the
world at large. The Daima excavations of 1965-66 by Graham Connah were a case
in point. The Dufuna canoe with an antiquity of over 8000 years, so far the oldest
canoe in Africa and the third oldest in the world also speaks of the antiquity of the
region in terms of human activities including water transportation. Historically,it is
a crossroads of many cultures while linguistically,it is a zone of convergence and
divergence of most ethnic groups we found today in the North-Eastern region of
Nigeria.The Chad basin is a huge landmass which witnessed a series of depositions
and activities, and is rightly referred to as a cultural watershed, and an interface of
four major cultures of the world the Eastern, the western, the Saharan and Sudanic
(Alkali, 1991). The region accommodated one of the largest dynasties in Africa, the
Sayfawa (Alkali and Yusuf 1991). The methodology adopted adopted for this
research involved literature review of past and recent archaeological activities
undertaken by Graham Connah, some research projects results within the
framework of the University of Maiduguri-Frankfurt Joint Research project, and
the Wandala project with the University of Calgary,Canada.
Keywords: Chad Basin, Scenario, Daima, Dufuna, Dynasty, Sahara, Sudanic,
Wandala. -
Fortification structures in Shabe area: a comparative archaeological study in Yorubaland and West Africa
$10.00Simon Agani, M.A. and Obarè B. Bagodo, PhD – Associate Professor
Laboratoire d’Art, Archéologie et d’Expertise Patrimoniale
Université d’Abomey-Calavi, République du Bénin
E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]Abstract
Since the mid-2000s onwards, continuous archaeological investigations into Shabe
area had been focused on the settlement and the political and economic dynamics.
The fortification structures, reflecting the expertise of the past people, for defense
or resistance, are barely explored. Yet in Shabe area and other parts of Yorubaland,
as well as within the Bight of Benin region’s countries (Nigeria, Bénin, Togo and
Ghana) and in the whole West Africa, there are various fortification structures.
With regard to the archeological concern with defense or refuge systems in order to
understand the historical evolution in Shabe area, many important aspects have not
been tackled properly until now. The contention here is that a comparison of Shabe’s
fortification structures with those of the rest of Yorubaland and in West Africa can
help argue better assumptions and establish similarities and dissimilarities, and
show endogenous creations and/or external influences during centuries (if not
millennia) until the European military invasion in the 1890s and colonial
occupation from the 1900s onwards.
Keywords: fortification structures, Shabe area, Yorubaland, West Africa. -
Fortifications in Tikars Chiefdoms. Temporal security borders and indicators of an autarchic economic and social life in peace or war time. A contribution to historical archaeology in Cameroon.
$10.00Martin Elouga
University of Yaoundé 1
Email: [email protected]
Cell phone: 677 63 91 00Abstract
Shortly after settling in the upper Mbam catchment due to migration which took
them from the Adamawa highlands to their current habitat, the Tikars faced attacks
from neighboring and distant ethnic groups. The fortifications that encircle the
chiefdoms created indicate the conflicts that marred relations with other social
groups. These fortifications which could be seen as factors of reconfiguration of
space in the chiefdoms, were temporal borders put in place to ensure the safety of
property and people. The universe of confinement that came about as a result,
brought about an autarchic economic and social life style among the Tikars. This
new perspective in the analysis of fortifications is different from the causal and
phenomenological approaches used this far. It lays the foundation for a profound
reflection on this military architecture which isolated groups and at the same time
represented an ingeniously built original structure to secure property and persons. -
Holocene Vegetation Change in the forests of Southwest Nigeria: Inferences from Lowland Rainforest Species Diversity
$10.00Orijemie, Emuobosa Akpo
Department of Archaeology and Anthropology,
University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Email: [email protected];
[email protected]
86Abstract
The pollen records of two terrestrial cores Ahanve (Badagry) and Ogudu (Lagos) in
the freshwater, and mangrove swamp forest (MSF) zones respectively of southwest
Nigeria provide evidence of changes in ecology and species diversity of the MSF
and the adjoining lowland rainforest (LRF) during the Late Holocene. At ca. 3109 ±
26 yrs BP in Ahanve and at as yet an unknown time in Ogudu, Rhizophora spp. and
other mangrove species declined significantly. Though Rhizophora spp. recovered
quickly at Ogudu, they completely disappeared from Ahanve and are absent from
there today. Similarly the LRF, which hitherto was abundant and quite diverse at
Ahanve decreased and was replaced by secondary forest and coastal savannas. On
the other hand, the LRF increased sharply at Ogudu with relics of it still remaining
there at present. Species diversity of the LRF at Ahanve during and after the major
vegetation change that took place became very low whilst most species
disappeared. In contrast, at Ogudu the LRF remained despite deteriorating
conditions and was initially diverse. Its subsequent decline in species composition,
which was recorded towards the top of the core, is regarded as a recent development
as revealed by both the pollen record and charcoal analysis. The contrasts in the
species diversity of the LRF at both sites seem to underscore the intensity and
impact of humans at Ahanve and Ogudu.
Key words: Tropical rainforests, Vegetation change, Rhizophora spp., Human
impact -
Iconoclasm, Antithesis to Cultural Heritage Conservation in Ghana – A Case-Study of Conflicts Typology in the Danish-Osu Heritage Setting.
$10.00Lng. H. N. A. Wellington
Occupation: Lecturer / Researcher.
Institution of affiliation: Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies,
University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Email address: [email protected]
Telephone: +233244172122
Fritz Biveridge
Occupation: Lecturer / Researcher
Institution of affiliation: Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies,
University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Email address: [email protected]
Telephone: +233269466443.
Daniel Kuma
Occupation: Assistant Lecturer /Researcher.
Institution of affiliation: Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies,
University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Email Address: [email protected]
Telephone Number: 233246205675
Name of corresponding author: Dr. Fritz BiveridgeKey words:
(1) Iconoclasm
(2) Cultural heritage
(3) Antithesis
(4) Conservation
(5) Conflict typology
Abstract of Research
This paper presents some reflections and insights from a case study of three conflict
typology situations relating to the Danish-Osu heritage setting at Osu. They are the
Brandt Heritage Property, the Richter Heritage Property, and the Sanchie Historic
Site. Osu is an ancient Ga settlement located in Ghana’s capital, Accra. The
indigenous population were one of the earliest to have encountered and interacted
socio-economically with Europeans, principally the Danes, Dutch and English
during the period of the trans-Atlantic slave trade engagements on the Guinea
70
Ing. H. N. A. Wellington, Fritz Biveridge, Daniel Kuma
Coast. This resulted in the people embracing several cultural traits of Europeans
including European styled architectural designs several of which are still standing
but in various stages of ruin in the community because of non armed conflicts
situations between different parties alleging ownership of these extant buildings.
The paper discusses the root causes of these conflicts as well as the consequences,
and makes some recommendations to remedy such situations to save such
important heritage properties in the future. -
Interrogating Anthropomorphism in Benin and Northern Edo Art: Some Tentative Notes for Historical Clarifications
$10.00Ohioma Ifounu Pogoson
Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan,
Ibadan, NigeriaAbstract
This paper interrogates a rare anthropological collection from Edo North gathered
together between 1908 and 1910 by Northcote W. Thomas, first colonial
government anthropologist in Nigeria. After collection, the objects have been
stored up, largely ignored, at the University of Cambridge, Museum for
Archaeology and Anthropology. The paper questions the resultant long time decontextualisation
and isolation of these objects that have, over the time, made it
remote to link these evidential materials and their producer culture and neighboring
cultures. In an attempt to re-contextualize the objects, a comparison is made, of
highly anthropomorphic Benin court art, which has for a long time, politically,
dominated Northern Edo land but its character is not represented in Northern Edo
art and selected anthropomorphic objects from the Thomas collection. The idea
underlying Benin artistic production is basically anthropomorphic, revolving
around the Benin king and hierarchy and hence a court art, whereas there is paucity
of human representations in Northern Edo land which intriguingly also doesn’t have
the political structure to support it. Using the older language age evidence of forms
of Edo language spoken in Northern Edo land, the paper queries the possibility of a
south-north movement to create the works under reference. Perhaps there had been
an earlier north-south movement and then a later south-north returnee movement
whereby the works in the Thomas collection would represent those of the earlier
northern Edo autochthons and ancestors of present day occupants. The Thomas
collection may be remnants of an earlier tradition before Benin suzerainty gained
full grounds in the 19th Century. -
Pour Un Hommage A L’aîne, Au Doyen Boube Gado: Un Pionnier De L’archeologie Ouest-africaine (1944-2015)
$10.00par Alexis B.A. ADANDE
-
Promoting Cultural Tourism Through Art Exhibitions: A Case Study Of National Gallery of Art Igbo-Ukwu
$10.00Obiageli Okoye (Ph.D)
Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
University of Ibadan
[email protected]Abstract
Art exhibition entails public display or collection of art objects in a gallery, often
times providing opportunity to showcase a people’s cultural heritage, the artists
and their works. When art exhibitions are carried out in rural communities by a
National Art Gallery, it has the potential of promoting tourism, and encouraging
budding artists in the locality. This study examines the extent to which the National
Gallery of Art, Igbo-Ukwu, southeast Nigeria, promote tourism in Igbo-Ukwu
through art exhibitions, with a view to establishing the impacts of these exhibitions.
Data gathering techniques employed are: participant observation, key informant
interview focus group discussions and photography. The study discovers that art
exhibitions in National Gallery of Art Igbo-Ukwu have contributed to promoting
tourism, skill acquisition and income generation to the artists in the community and
neighbouring towns. The gallery provides platform for budding artists to exchange
ideas with more established artists, and at the same time make young people to see
art as a viable profession. The study recommends that the exhibitions should be
publicized more to increase wider participation of artists and tourists.
Keywords: Art Exhibitions, tourism, Rural Communities, National Gallery of Art -
Ritual, Art and/or Physics? Seven Rare Wooden OroÌ Bullroarers in the Collection of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
$10.00Ohioma Ifounu Pogoson, Ayo Adeduntan and Abiodun Akande
Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, IbadanAbstract
This paper investigates the artistic characteristic features and iconology of Yoruba
OroÌ bullroarer using selected examples of seven OroÌ bullroarers in the collection of
the Museum of the Institute of African Studies (MIAS), University of Ibadan,
Nigeria. The ethnographic research design was adopted for the study. It gathered
data from in-depth interviews, historical, political, mythological, scholarly
submissions and allusions on the socio-religious, cultural importance and
associations of oroÌ in Yoruba land, to elucidate traditional and contemporary
perspectives about OroÌ and its iconography. In its conclusion, the paper highlighted
the important images commonly depicted on the Oro Ìbullroarer. Some of the images
observed are zoomorphic, anthropomorphic, geometric or abstract forms. It further
observes that the images on the bullroarer are purposely engineered to conform
with the the overall process of scientific effect of matter, energy, force and motion to
produce the buzzing sound associated with OroÌ. -
Some Utilitarian Objects From Edo North And The Northern Edo And Benin Artistic Relationship
$1.00Ohioma Ifounu Pogoson
Institute of African Studies
University of Ibadan
Ibadan.Abstract
The history of Northern Edo land, Nigeria has been subsumed in the history of
Benin kingdom and indeed, due to oversimplification, northern Edo history has
been reduced to the history of Benin. Presently, the only available means to salvage
the history of Northern Edo land remains the art objects collected by Northcote
Thomas from Edo land, between 1908 and 1914. The collection is now domiciled at
the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) of the University of
Cambridge, unutilized. The paper therefore undertook a comparative iconographic
study of selected objects from the Thomas’ collection with Benin art, in an attempt
to make some more specific and perhaps categorical statements about a possible
Benin-Northern Edo artistic relationship. Some of the works analysed from the
collection include kola nut bowls from Otuo, Uzebba decorated kola nut bowls,
Agbede bowls, and Okpe decorated ladle out of others. Evidently these artworks are
prestigious objects, yet the Edo north community is devoid of such powerful central
administrative system that could be in demand of such objects. This raises questions
about the peopling of the region. From the available evidential materials, under
consideration, it was then postulated that there could have been the possibility of
north-south movement and a later south-north movement in that region, which has
caused a thinning-out of the culture that produced the Thomas’ collection. The
paper concluded that the makers of the selected objects from the Thomas’ collection
might be different from the present day inhabitants of the region. -
Syncretism In Traditional Pottery Production: The Case Of Gui Community
$10.001May, Okafor .N. and 2Eyisi, Afamefuna .P.
1 – Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[email protected]
2 – Department of Archaeology and Tourism, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[email protected]Abstract
Traditional pottery making has become one of the major ways through which
Africans have established themselves in world history and development over time.
Pottery making provided man with utilitarian items which served as evidence of
past human activities wherever found. However, in every society, art is dynamic.
Pottery as an art has also revealed this dynamism in several ways and in different
cultures. In Gui traditional pottery, remarkable changes have taken place across
different phases of pottery making. In most cases, these changes are results of
modernization. In the Nigerian traditional society, today, potters have, as much as
possible, continuously sought ways to keep their pottery traditions alive. Although
they incorporate new ideas to their creative endeavours to enable their craft
survive, they continuously work in distinct styles, techniques and idioms that place
their pottery wares and practices in the mainstream of traditional art. Through
ethnographic method of data collection, this paper presents the materials and tools
used in Gui pottery. Subsequently, it analyses distinct changes that have taken place
in their use of these materials and tools as well as their pottery usage. This research,
therefore, studies the effects of modernisation on the pottery traditions of Gui. It
discovered that hybridization of materials and techniques is the key strategy
through which most of these potters have survived.
Keywords: Syncretism, traditional, pottery, pottery techniques, Gui, pottery tools, -
The archaeological excavation in the site of Elig-Zogo Philadelphia in the Center region of Cameroon
$10.00Par
Eloi Cyrille Tollo1Abstract.
The archaeological excavation in the site of Elig-Zogo Philadelphia in the Center
region of Cameroon, near the small city of Sa’a, has uncovered an ancient iron
production workshop dated from de 13th century AD. This consists of five remains
of furnaces that can be observed from the surface. In accordance with the Mayor of
Sa’a, it was decided that only one structure will be excavated and that the rest shall
be preserved. The site is located in front of the of the presbytery of the Philadelphia
church in the village of Elig- Zogo. The structure 4 that we excavated was a pit
filling with heterogeneous artifacts made of slag, remains of chimney, tuyeres and
charcoal. The size and the nature of slags suggest that the site serves to refine
blooms coming from natural draught furnaces. Cases of this double reduction are
known within some ethnic groups in subsahara Africa such as the Bassa and the
Banen of Cameroon or the Mossi of Yatenga in Burkina Faso. The iron production
workshop was made of non-slag-tapping shaft bowl furnaces that functioned with
forced draught. The chimney was circular and build with clay.
Mots clés: Cameroun, métallurgie du fer, paléosidérurgie africaine. -
Trade Feuds and Armed Confrontations: Archaeological indications at Forts Eliza Carthago and Ruychaver, Western Region, Ghana.
$10.00Fritz Biveridge
University of Ghana, LegonDepartment of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Ghana.
P. O. Box 3. Legon, Ghana. West Africa.
E’mail: [email protected]Mobile contact Number: 0269466443 / 0246788723.
Abstract of research
This research presents results of historical archaeological investigations conducted
at Forts Eliza Carthago and Ruychaver, two early fortifications / trade stations built
by the Dutch in the Western Region of Ghana to facilitate the exploitation and
export of gold from the Gold Coast. The objective of the study was twofold. The
first was to gauge from the material remains recovered at the two sites evidence
attesting to armed confrontations and second, establish if the two forts were
intentionally destroyed by the indigenous populations living nearby in the
subsequent conflagration following the confrontations. The archaeological
evidence, including totally burnt tobacco pipes, bones and several broken imported
Dutch bricks clearly corroborated historical sources which assert that the two forts
were fire razed to the ground. Data for the study was derived from archaeological
and historical investigations.