KANSYORE CRESCENTS: MULTIPURPOSE FUNCTIONAL
TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY.

By
Kyazike Elizabeth

Department of History and Political Science

Kyambogo University
P.O. Box 1. Kyambo
Email: ekyzike kyu.ac.ug

Abstract
Results indicate that Kansyore Island crescents are of various sizes
leading to a suggestion that they performed different functions.
However, the causes for this variation remains unclear. In order to
address that, this paper examines the nature of raw material
procurement processes for the production of crescents, the use of
crescents as well as their evolution over time at Kansyore Island that
indicates humanity’s technological complexity. It also investigates
factors for the preference of crescents that dominate the Later Stone
Age (LSA) backed tool kit at Kansyore Island and Nsongezi. The aim
is to examine the variation in tool sizes and the way in which crescents
were utilised by humans using their forms, edge modifications and edge
damage. This is significant in understanding the evolution of projectile
technology and giving insights into food procurement processes and
subsistence economy and the way the Later Stone Age (LSA) people
adapted and controlled the changing environment that characterised
most of Africa at that age. This was done using both archaeological
survey and excavation at Kansyore Island and the Nsongezi areas. The
Kansyore are a unique LSA group who combined use of lithics with
ceramics. The examination of Kansyore Island material is based on the
fact that limited attention has been given to the Kansyore culture at
Kansyore Island the type site and so far the limited work has laid
emphasis on ceramics such as the works of Chapman, (1967) and
Kyazike (2013). Collet and Robertshaw (1980) identified two crescents
but emphasis was also on the ceramics.