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8. Iron Age Settlement Patterns and Economic Change on Zanzibar and Pemba Islands
- University of Pennsylvania Press
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8 Iron Age Settlement Patterns and Economic Change on Zanzibar and Pemba Islands Emanuel T. Kessy This chapter examines settlement patterns and economy in several Iron Age settlements on the islands of Pemba and Zanzibar, Tanzania.The first section looks at social, political, and economic influences on site location. Historical documents provide one source of information about site location strategies, but other evidence indicates that the relative importance of different determinants of site location varied over time.The second section analyzes settlement pattern changes from the 8th through the 19th centuries AD. The final section looks at trading systems that linked the islands and the resources that might have been exchanged within the islands and beyond. The distribution of known archaeological sites on Pemba and Zanzibar Islands can tell us much about factors that influenced site location.Present site distribution,of course,may be a construct of the present state of research and the research designs of previous studies.First,most research projects have concentrated on coastal sites. The few known inland sites contain standing monuments and are consequently quite easy to find. Second, research to date has been conducted on sites known historically from either Arabic texts or oral traditions. As only sites with visible surface remains—especially stone monuments—have been studied, many sites probably remain to be found. In spite of the incomplete nature of previous research and the biased nature of the site sample, this chapter seeks to shed light on how site distri- bution patterns can verify the accuracy of known historical information on social, political, and economic changes in the ancient towns of the East African coast. East African Archaeology: Foragers, Potters, Smiths, and Traders 118 Mkokotoni Jongowe Shangani Pwani Mvuleni Fukuchani Chuini Kizimbani Kidichi Uroa Beit El Ras Mtoni Dunga Chwaka Maharubi Zanzibar Mbweni Chwakani Unguja Ukuu Kizimkazi Ushungi INDIAN OCEAN 0 13 km N Fig. 8.1 The archaeological sites of Zanzibar. [54.81.185.66] Project MUSE (2024-03-19 02:57 GMT) Site Locations The locations of the early harbors and sites along the coasts of Zanzibar and Pemba are of great interest (Figs. 8.1 and 8.2).Through the use of occupation dates of the sites and the examination of site locations,one can determine some of the factors that influenced site selection.The accessibility of the harbors to sailing activities in different seasons of the year is one factor. Some sites can be used for sailing throughout the year, while others cannot. Iron Age Settlement Patterns and Economic Change on Zanzibar and Pemba Islands 119 Msuka Mjini Verani Mduuni Finga Kimeliani Mtambwe Mkuu Mkia wa Ng'ombe Chwaka Shumba Kiuyu Wingwi Kojani Kiungoni Micheweni Shenge Juu Kichokochwe Mandani Chake Chake Vitongoje Pujini Kiwani Shamiani Mtangani Jang'ombe Chambani Mjini Mitondooni Makongwe Ras Mkumbuu INDIAN OCEAN 0 13 km N Fig. 8.2 The archaeological sites of Pemba. Soil fertility and climate also act as significant factors in the question of site location. Physical attributes, such as good beaches and other natural features, surely did affect site location as much as economic and political factors. Water, stones, and salt were doubtless important commodities. However, knowledge of geological resources such as iron ores on the islands is poor, even though iron artifacts are found there in archaeological contexts. Climatic factors, especially soil development and fertility and rainfall, affect resources and, in turn, site location. With the exception of Tumbatu Islet, most of the areas along the coasts of Zanzibar and Pemba have adequate water supplies, either from small streams or ground water, accessed from shallow pits or wells (Al Maamiry 1980:64). The western sides of Zanzibar and Pemba Islands are better watered and more fertile (Gray 1977:136). On the eastern sides of the islands, soils are poorly developed and infertile, and in some areas the land consists of coral up to the surface. In general, however, Pemba is more fertile than Zanzibar. On Zanzibar’s main island, the relationship between land and sea resources and archaeological site location is clear. Of the 18 coastal archaeological sites on Zanzibar Island, only 3 sites are on the eastern side (Fig. 8.1).Although fishing probably played a major role in the subsistence economy , these sites are all near fertile pockets of land, implying that early inhabitants probably practiced cultivation as well as fishing. The presence of Tana Ware at Unguja Ukuu, Fukuchani, and Mkokotoni in Zanzibar, which date to the 8th century AD (Horton and Clark 1985), and at...