Early primary glass production in southern Nigeria

Lankton, James; Ige, O.A.; Rehren, Thilo

doi:10.3213/1612-1651-10065

Cited by 91 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Recently, it has been shown that early primary glass production (high Al, high Ca glass) took place at Ile-Ife in southwestern Nigeria and utilized cobalt associated with high levels of manganese to manufacture dark blue beads. 32 The cobalt ore, imported from Iran, used in the famous Jingdezhen (China) blue-and-white ware during the 14th to early 15th centuries was rich in iron (Fe : Co D 3:1) and sometimes contained arsenic, nickel and copper. 23 In the 15th century, cobalt ore rich in manganese was discovered in southern China and replaced the imported product.…”

Section: Pigmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Raman spectroscopic study of the Mapungubwe oblates: glass trade beads excavated at an Iron Age archaeological site in South Africa

Prinsloo

Colomban

2007

J Raman Spectroscopy

111

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Oblate seed beads (2-4 mm) excavated on Mapungubwe hill, an Iron Age site in South Africa, were analysed with Raman microscopy and supportive techniques to determine the glass technology and pigments used to produce the beads. The Raman spectra and XRF analysis of the beads classify the glass as a typical soda/lime/potash glass similar to Islamic glass from the 8th century (Ommayad), but with higher levels of aluminium, iron and magnesium. The turquoise, bright green, bright yellow and orange colours were obtained by utilizing a combination of cassiterite (SnO 2 ) and lead tin yellow type II (PbSn 1−x Si x O 3 ). Doping with cobalt and manganese produced dark blue and plum-coloured beads. The Fe-S chromophore was detected through its resonance-enhanced spectrum in the black beads. Corrosion of the black beads was investigated and an organic phase detected on the beads, which might have influenced the corrosion process. This detailed profile of the glass technology used to produce the Mapungubwe oblates might eventually help to determine their provenance.

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Section: Pigmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Raman spectroscopic study of the Mapungubwe oblates: glass trade beads excavated at an Iron Age archaeological site in South Africa

Prinsloo

Colomban

2007

J Raman Spectroscopy

111

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“…And, this extends to glass. As Lankton et al (2006) note, In or near Ile-Ife the ready availability of local raw materials, the tradition of high-temperature technology in the form of copper alloy or iron working and local and regional demand for glass beads combined to stimulate primary and secondary glass technologies that would continue for many centuries. (p. 133) Cobalt-bearing mafic and ultramafic rocks have been found in several localities around Osogbo, especially Mokuro-Ife and Isaobi-Ilesa, where incontrovertible evidence of sub-economic accumulation of base metals like cobalt, titanium, and nickel have been detected and may have been mined in antiquity as sources of cobalt colorants for bead manufacture in Yorubaland.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, over the past decade, the compositional analysis of glass-lined crucibles, glass cullet (unshaped glass objects), and glass beads of different colors, retrieved from excavation sites and groves in Ile-Ife, have given tentative chemical evidence for primary glass manufacture in the ancient city (e.g., Ige, 2009Ige, , 2010Lankton, Ige, & Rehren, 2006). J. W. Lankton, O.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Our Ancestors Were Material Scientists”

Ogundiran

Ige

2015

Journal of Black Studies

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The quest for a comprehensive understanding of Africa's indigenous technology has been an important intellectual agenda in Black Studies. In some instances this interest has tended to be speculative and derivative because most Black Studies scholars are not trained in the disciplinary fields that are relevant for investigating Africa's indigenous technology through primary field and laboratory research. Collaboration between Black Studies scholars and those in the physical sciences is therefore important in order to develop new insights into Africa's indigenous technology. One of such collaborations has led to a new archaeological and geochemical evidence for primary glass manufacture in Yorubaland. Based on the recent archaeological finds of glass artifacts from Osun Grove (Osogbo, Nigeria), we present the laboratory data that lead us to the conclusion that the Yoruba of West Africa developed a unique glassmaking technology that lasted till the seventeenth century.

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“…At the Materials and Archaeometry Unit of the Natural History Museum in Ife, we have initiated an ongoing long-term effort to characterize and provenance archaeological artefacts from the Yoruba area of southwestern Nigeria (Ige and Ogunfolakan, 2001;Ige and Rehren, 2003;Lankton et al, 2006;Ige and Swanson, 2008). We hope this work will add further significant data on the technological evaluation of the ancient Yoruba technology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%