Anthropology 350
Archaeologies of Africa
African Archeology- theoretical themes:
-Cultural Historical Approaches (1920-1945 and to present)
Attempts to define cultural groups in terms of time and space
Hand built low-fired ceramics (ceramics are important due to
permanence and as a sign of settlement.)
Lends well to maps
Stone tools
-Processual Archaeology (1945-1970 and to present)
energy exchange in systems (diet, calories, interest in caloric
movement)
Asks questions about how many calories would need to live per day,
and the necessary calories for various activities. How is food stored?
scientific approaches
monovocal
-Post-Processual (1970 to present)
post-modern critique of above theories.
Humanistic approach- said that other theories did not leave room for
human agency.
Microhistories- histories of non-elite people
Starts with non-elites/slaves and moves up.
Multivocal
Early Stone Age
Begins about 2.2mya
Ends 220,000 to 120,000
More scientific, less humanistic when studying artifacts
Basic questions for hominids
Differences in structure of jaw and face from modern homosapiens
What are they eating? How do teeth suggest their behaviors and diet?
Middle Stone Age
, Ca. 200,000/120,000-40,000 BP
Stone tools get smaller
Specific tools for different tasks
Glass as a tool
Late Stone Age
40,000 BC
Lots of relevant art- paintings, whistles, tools
Iron Age
Early: 900 to 300 BC in West Africa
500 BC in Great Lakes Region
Nok, one of the first iron-smelting groups
Metal- copper for creation, when iron comes to play it is a
gamechanger.
Iron creations leaves behind slag (waste)
Late: Approx. 1000 AD
Associated with complex societies.
Islamic Africa
Arabic origins in early 7th century.
Gains power in NA 9th and 10th century
Gains power in WA 10th-12th century
Characteristics: literacy, long distance trade, tech-iron working,
astronomy, shifting settlements and socio political organizations.
Control of trade, surpluses and ultimate power
Historical Era/Modern World?
Importance of texts (trad texts, hieroglyphics, oral)
Neolithic (NA)
Archaeologies of Africa
African Archeology- theoretical themes:
-Cultural Historical Approaches (1920-1945 and to present)
Attempts to define cultural groups in terms of time and space
Hand built low-fired ceramics (ceramics are important due to
permanence and as a sign of settlement.)
Lends well to maps
Stone tools
-Processual Archaeology (1945-1970 and to present)
energy exchange in systems (diet, calories, interest in caloric
movement)
Asks questions about how many calories would need to live per day,
and the necessary calories for various activities. How is food stored?
scientific approaches
monovocal
-Post-Processual (1970 to present)
post-modern critique of above theories.
Humanistic approach- said that other theories did not leave room for
human agency.
Microhistories- histories of non-elite people
Starts with non-elites/slaves and moves up.
Multivocal
Early Stone Age
Begins about 2.2mya
Ends 220,000 to 120,000
More scientific, less humanistic when studying artifacts
Basic questions for hominids
Differences in structure of jaw and face from modern homosapiens
What are they eating? How do teeth suggest their behaviors and diet?
Middle Stone Age
, Ca. 200,000/120,000-40,000 BP
Stone tools get smaller
Specific tools for different tasks
Glass as a tool
Late Stone Age
40,000 BC
Lots of relevant art- paintings, whistles, tools
Iron Age
Early: 900 to 300 BC in West Africa
500 BC in Great Lakes Region
Nok, one of the first iron-smelting groups
Metal- copper for creation, when iron comes to play it is a
gamechanger.
Iron creations leaves behind slag (waste)
Late: Approx. 1000 AD
Associated with complex societies.
Islamic Africa
Arabic origins in early 7th century.
Gains power in NA 9th and 10th century
Gains power in WA 10th-12th century
Characteristics: literacy, long distance trade, tech-iron working,
astronomy, shifting settlements and socio political organizations.
Control of trade, surpluses and ultimate power
Historical Era/Modern World?
Importance of texts (trad texts, hieroglyphics, oral)
Neolithic (NA)
