Complex Iron Smelting and Prehistoric Culture in Tanzania

Schmidt, Peter R.; Avery, Donald H.

doi:10.1126/science.201.4361.1085

Cited by 71 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The development of long-distance trade networks did not seem to affect the community's economic or subsistence activities to any great extent. The arrival of iron technology encouraged a rapid adoption of metal production and limited use of agriculture in many areas of Africa (Alexander, 1980;Chami, 1994;Collett, 1985;de Barros, 1997;Onyango-Abuje and Wandibba, 1979;Schmidt, 1996Schmidt, , 1997Schmidt and Avery, 1996;Schmidt and Childs, 1985;Soper, 1967b;Wadley, 1996). In other areas, such as Gogo Falls on the shores of Lake Victoria, replacement of stone with iron technology was gradual (Robertshaw, 1991a).…”

Section: New Data On the Origins Of Coastal Tradementioning

confidence: 97%

New Perspectives on Early Regional Interaction Networks of East African Trade: A View from Tsavo National Park, Kenya

Wright

2005

Afr Archaeol Rev

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Archaeologists are interested in understanding whether cross-cultural contact catalyzed by exchange of commodities is a means for people to acquire new technology and cultural ideas. This paper reports the results and analysis of archaeological investigations in Tsavo NationalPark, Kenya in 2001 and 2004 that have recovered evidence of indirect contact between late pastoral neolithic (PN) herders and early iron working (EIW) communities. Analysis of stylistic motifs on ceramics used by both PN and EIW people show that socially constructed notions of aesthetics are similar, implying that a strong cultural connection between the two groups may be possible. New lexico-statistical analyses and archaeological data from Tanzania corroborate that the prehistoric East African milieu was more complex than previously believed. However, pastoralists in Tsavo show no evidence of utilizing iron technology or altering their subsistence strategies among the >10,000 artifacts spanning 4,000+ years of prehistory recovered in the 2001 field season. Thus, long-distance and long-term contact between socially connected groups possessing different technological and subsistence foundations does not necessarily lead to a diffusion of new survival strategies. Les archéologues sont intéressésà comprendre la diffusion technologique et culturelle préhistorique [Les archeologues se sont interestes a comprendre la diffusion prehistorique de la technologie et de la culture]. Le contact entre les cultures catalysées par l'échange des produits est des moyens pour que les personnes acquièrent la nouvelle technologie et les idées culturelles. Cependant, le point auquel certaines idées sont acceptées ou rejetées demeure irrésolu. [Quand le contact contre-culturelle s'allie avec l'exchange de produits, les deux fournissent les nouvelles idees culturelles et technologiques aux gens. Mais, le point d D'autres 111 0263-0338/05/0900-0111/0 C 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 112 Wright données sont nécessaires pour augmenter nos compréhension de l'échange des idées entre les groupes de personnes et comment des changements de technologie. Les investigations archéologiques en parc national de Tsavo, Kenya dans 2001 ont récupéré l'évidence du contact indirect entre les bouviers néolithiques pastoraux (PN) en retard et les premières communautés du fondre de fer (EIW). L'analyse des motifs stylistiques sur la céramique utiliser par des personnes de PN et d'EIW prouvent que les notions socialement construites de l'esthétique sont semblables, impliquant qu'un raccordement culturel fort entre les deux groupes peutêtre possible. Les nouvelles analyses lexico-statistiques et les données archéologiques de Tanzanie corroborent que le milieu africain est préhistoriqueétait plus complexe que précédemment cru. Cependant, les bouviers préhistorique dans Tsavo ne montrent aucuneévidence d'utiliser la technologie de fer ou de changer leurs stratégies de subsistance parmi les >10.000 objets façonnés enjambant les années 4.000+ de la préhistoire récupérées dans la...

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Section: New Data On the Origins Of Coastal Tradementioning

confidence: 97%

New Perspectives on Early Regional Interaction Networks of East African Trade: A View from Tsavo National Park, Kenya

Wright

2005

Afr Archaeol Rev

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“…First, ethnoarchaeological and archaeological research in northwestern Tanzania in the late 1970s led to major rethinking of historical misrepresentations about the inferiority of African technology (Schmidt and Avery 1978). Following the announcement of these findings, an intense interest developed in official circles for popularising the relevance of science and technology in the present and future.…”

Section: The Development Of Archaeology In Tanzaniamentioning

confidence: 99%

Teaching revolutionary archaeology: African experiments in history making and heritage management

Schmidt

2005

Arch

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“…One example is work on the intensification of early iron production in Buhaya, Tanzania (Schmidt and Avery 1978;Schmidt 1994Schmidt , 1997. In this research, charcoal species excavated from iron smelting furnaces were used as a proxy for vegetation change through time alongside evidence from a poorly dated pollen core.…”

Section: Recent Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Metallurgy in Transforming Global Forests.

Iles

2015

J Archaeol Method Theory

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Forest degradation both past and present has become a significant research focus of many disciplines in recent decades, and it is an area in which the multidisciplinarity and long-term perspectives of archaeological endeavor has the potential to make a particularly valuable contribution. One of the past craft activities that has long been linked to significant socio-economic change and associated accelerations in forest cover reduction and environmental decline is the intensification of early iron production an industry reliant on the consumption of charcoal as fuel for much of its history. However, the impact of iron production on the transformation of woodlands is dependent on a suite of interrelated factors climatic, ecological, technological and cultural only some of which have so far been adequately scrutinised. This paper explores the theoretical context that links iron production with deforestation in academic and popular cultures, examining the role that archaeology can play in investigating this association, before reviewing recent methodological approaches that aim to interrogate the relationship between metallurgy and the environment in archaeological settings.

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Complex Iron Smelting and Prehistoric Culture in Tanzania

Cited by 71 publications

References 2 publications

New Perspectives on Early Regional Interaction Networks of East African Trade: A View from Tsavo National Park, Kenya

New Perspectives on Early Regional Interaction Networks of East African Trade: A View from Tsavo National Park, Kenya

Teaching revolutionary archaeology: African experiments in history making and heritage management

The Role of Metallurgy in Transforming Global Forests.

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