"Tell me what you are eating and I tell you who are you": Differences in Subsistence Systems of Elite and Non-Elite Gamo Society of the Ethiopia Highlands during Historical Times

Summary

There is little archaeobotanical data from Ethiopia, in this presentation, we will be comparing samples from two historic domestic archaeological sites spanning from late seventeen centuries to the late eighteen century A.D. within the same environment (Gamo highlands in Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR), Ethiopia) with the intention of examining status differences through subsistence remains. The food habits of past human societies are of importance because the act of cooking is a central task for humans, and various social phenomena influence the activities of food procurement and production. The research question guiding this investigation is What status differences can be identified between Gamo Mala and Gamo Tsoma-mala society through the archaeobotanical analysis of charred plant remains, and to what extent does this information reflect aspects of social identity and community boundaries". The status differences were not identifiable since the archaeobotanical assemblages were composed of similar taxa. Detailed examination of samples using scanning electron microscope analysis provided data of processing practices, and cooking preferences of tuber foods from non-elite contexts on the southwestern highlands. The presence of cotton in both archaeological sites raises the possible cultivation of a cotton species indigenous to the highlands.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21329