Africa: Congo/Central Africa (Geographic Keyword)
1-9 (9 Records)
This is an abstract from the "The Extended Evolutionary Synthesis and Human Origins: Archaeological Perspectives" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Most archaeological literature dealing with niche construction avoids hunter-gatherer behaviors, in part because they can be difficult to detect archaeologically. As the role of humans in shaping environments over long time scales becomes increasingly apparent, it is critical to develop archaeological...
Becoming Villagers, Becoming Enslavers: Social Change in Bantu-Speaking Early Villages during the Late Holocene Arid Phase (ca. 1200 BCE. – ca. 100 BCE) (2019)
This is an abstract from the "Archaeological Approaches to Slavery and Unfree Labour in Africa" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Recent syntheses incorporating linguistic, archaeological, and paleoclimatic evidence have argued that villages inhabited by Bantu-speaking communities spread from Cameroon to the Lower Congo from about 1200 BCE to 100 BCE. This southward migration was facilitated by an abrupt climatic warming event that expanded...
The Early Iron Age and "Hiatus" Occupations: Archaeological and Chronometric Data on Holocene Human Settlement in the Northern Congo Basin, Southern Central African Republic (2019)
This is an abstract from the "African Archaeology throughout the Holocene" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Recently, Lupo and colleagues (2018) reported data on the nature and timing of late Holocene human occupation in the northern Congo Basin rain forest, southern Central African Republic and this paper presents new archaeological and chronometric information. Field reconnaissance identified 25 new archaeological sites, including additional iron...
Evaluating the Effects of Human Disturbance on Middle Stone Age Surface Finds from Northern Malawi (2018)
Abundant surface scatters of Middle Stone Age artifacts are found throughout northern Malawi, eroding from remnant alluvial fan deposits (Chitimwe Beds). Surface surveys documenting these areas have guided the emplacement of 50+ archaeological test pits and excavations, many of which have yielded in situ MSA sites. However, the surficial evidence itself has been subject to less discussion and merits closer attention. At the Bruce site, surface artifacts were identified as part of an assemblage...
Exploitation of Canarium versus African Oil Palm by Ancient Hunter-Gatherers in Tropical Africa (2021)
This is an abstract from the "SAA 2021: General Sessions" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Numerous oleaginous (oil-producing) tree species exist across tropical Africa. Indigenous populations both past and present used many of these species in a variety of ways including for fuel, cooking, medicinal, and cosmetic purposes. Current emphasis in the literature is often placed on the importance of E. guineensis (African oil palm) likely due to it being...
Implications of Efe Ethnoarchaeology for Recognizing Human-Derived Faunal Assemblages and Carcass Processing Decisions (2018)
Archaeological analyses of faunal remains frequently rely on observations derived from ethnoarchaeological studies to identify bone surface modifications that were the result of animal capture, butchery, and consumption by humans. In addition to the accurate identification of human-derived modifications, ethnoarchaeological studies in which carcass processing and consumption were observed and documented can provide a more precise means to recognizing specific human behavioral choices, such as...
Mortuary Practices of Later Stone Age Hunter-Gatherers in Northern Malawi (2021)
This is an abstract from the "Human Origins Migration and Evolution Research Consortium Poster Symposium" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Later Stone Age (LSA) hunter-gatherer mortuary practices are poorly understood in south-central Africa. Tropical climate and acidic soils hinder preservation, bioturbation is prevalent, and research coverage is sparse. The site of Hora 1, in the Mzimba District of Malawi, provides a rare opportunity to examine...
Of Foragers and Farmers: The Influence of Population Interaction on Faunal Diversity and Abundances in Zooarchaeological Assemblages (2023)
This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Zooarchaeological measures of faunal diversity are commonly used to assess prehistoric diet breadth, paleoenvironmental conditions, hunting technology, and economic orientation. In addition, hunter-gatherers are usually assumed to have more diverse faunal assemblages in comparison to food producers. Ethnoarchaeological data from central African neighboring...
Uses and Limitations of the "Sangoan" for Understanding Hominin Mobility and Dispersals: An Example from Northeastern Zambia (2018)
The Sangoan, a late Middle Pleistocene technological tradition widely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa, follows the Acheulean and is considered by some to represent the earliest manifestation of the Middle Stone Age. It may coincide with the evolution of Homo sapiens and the initial appearance of evidence for complex cognition. Unfortunately, this archaeological construct has fallen in and out of favor and remains poorly defined. It has uncertain dates and environmental associations, and...