Archaeological Excavations in Arondo and Culture Interaction in the Senegal River Basin AD 400-1000.

  • Author: Ibrahima Thiaw
  • Topic: 1000 to 2000 BP,500 to 1000 BP,Pottery studies
  • Country: Senegal
  • Related Congress: 13th Congress, Dakar

Archaeological excavations in Arondo, at the Senegal/Falemme confluence yield new insights for understanding culture interaction and, trade along the Senegal River Basin. Pottery assemblage from the early occupation dated AD 400-700 shows connections with the middle and upper Senegal valley and, possibly with sites located further east. By AD 700-1000 however, Arondo is clearly more northerly oriented and cultural remains exhibit material remains reminiscent of other sites in the middle Senegal valley including Sincu Bara and Ogo. At this time of increased contacts with external groups within the context of the trans-Saharan trade, the pottery assemblage underwent profound changes. Other innovations during this period include the introduction of sorghum, the production and/or trade of ceramic discs, locally known as disques à cordeler, spindlewhorls and, trade in copper and beads. This paper situates these changes in the broader context of the Senegal River Basin interaction sphere in the late first and early second millennium AD.


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