Copper-Based Metals from the Tanzanian Swahili Coast: Connections, Technologies, and Implications
Author(s): Thomas Fenn
Year: 2025
Summary
This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.
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Examining non-ferrous metals from the Tanzanian Swahili Coast, many imported and reworked locally, can serve as proxy to understanding the impact of Indian Ocean trade on local economies, particularly with regard to the consumption of semi-exotic materials and finished goods. Copper-based metals (and even lead metals) were relatively commonly imported, but they also were locally worked and some even may have been produced locally or regionally. Historically, Swahili towns along the East African coast played prominent roles in the triangular Indian Ocean maritime trade linking East Africa with the Persian Gulf/Red Sea and India, but the impact and extent of economic changes through time at these towns are still poorly understood. To that end, copper-based metals were examined from several Swahili archaeological contexts along the Tanzanian coast dating from the 7<sup>th</sup> cent. CE to 16<sup>th</sup> cent. CE. Results of chemical and isotopic analyses identified imported metals from multiple locations. However, several low-Pb unalloyed coppers or low-tin bronzes also might have originated from South Africa, making this the first documented occurrence of copper-based metals being exported from this region to the Swahili Coast. Other connections also are discussed as well as the role of recycling in complicating interpretation of these data.
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Cite this Record
Copper-Based Metals from the Tanzanian Swahili Coast: Connections, Technologies, and Implications. Thomas Fenn. Presented at The 90th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. 2025 ( tDAR id: 511216)
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Abstract Id(s): 53727