Shell disc beads and the development of class-based society at the K2-Mapungubwe settlement complex (South Africa)

Abstract

The K2-Mapungubwe settlement complex is widely regarded as the centre for the development of class-based society out of earlier ranked communities between c. AD 900 and AD 1300 in northern South Africa, southern Zimbabwe, and eastern Botswana. Beads made from ostrich eggs, the shells of Achatinidae snails, and freshwater bivalves formed an important part of the K2-Mapungubwe economy. Although thousands of shell beads have been excavated at the K2-Mapungubwe complex, this assemblage has never been analysed or even quantified in any meaningful manner. As such, only rough estimates of the distribution, use, and meaning of shell beads at these important sites were done. This article represents the first focussed research effort on this assemblage. The results demonstrate distinct spatial and chronological changes in the shell bead assemblage. Achatina beads are more common earlier in earlier phases, but after AD 1220, ostrich eggshell beads dominate. This could indicate access to new sources of raw materials. Our analysis took into account the spatial and social contexts of beads. This indicated that shell bead assemblage from the higher-status royal living areas remained morphologically constant over time, with a clear preference for smaller-sized beads. In contrast, beads from the lower-status areas could be grouped into distinct clusters of larger and smaller beads. The grouping of smaller bead on lower-status areas closely resembles elite assemblages. Smaller beads however become proportionally rarer outside elite areas over time. This may reflect changes in elite control and preferential access to shell beads. These results demonstrate how the use and manufacture of shell beads intersected with the socio-political changes that characterise the period. It also highlights the need for careful consideration of shell beads as a significant component of the political economy in the southern African Iron Age.