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The Later Stone Age and Iron Age in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania: An Examination of Interaction and Material Culture
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- Author / Creator
- Katto, Philbert M
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In this dissertation, I examine the relationships that emerged when Later Stone Age (LSA) hunter-gatherers and Iron Age (IA) agropastoralists met for the first time in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Specifically, the study aims at testing a prolonged scholarly debate: if during IA expansion there was displacement or absorption of autochthonous LSA hunter-gatherers or not? What timeframe that demarcates the IA from LSA in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania? The study also aimed at testing if the intermediate culture referred as the Pastoral Neolithic (PN) existed in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania or not? It also examined the Iron Age period and its material culture specifically ceramics in order to understand ceramic traditions, chronology, classifications (Early and Later Iron Ages), the distribution (intra/interregional interactions) and if the prehistoric IA ceramic production can be linked to the contemporary ethnic groups in the study area. The study employed primary and secondary data generated from archaeological survey, excavation, reviews of the museum collections, desktop reviews, and ethnographic interviews to address the above raised issues for both cultural periods. Using the Iringa Region as a point of reference, the current study considers that the timeframe that demarcates IA from LSA is between 36,881 BC and 168 BC. The PN culture is not chronologically supported by the dated samples, however, ceramic evidence collected by previous scholar indicates the presence of Narosura PN ceramics. It came to the conclusion that despite of contact between LSA and IA people around 168 BC, LSA tools and other behavior continued practiced together with IA until Later Iron Age (LIA)/historic period in the study area. In other word, the LSA people were integrated into IA cultures through acculturation or demic diffusion. Various IA traditions have been recorded by this study ranging from Early Iron Age (EIA) 168 BC to LIA 1277 AD and above. Such traditions align with others within and beyond the region signifying the knowledge flow through trade, intermarriages, and technological transfer. The ethnographic data generated from ceramics has indicated the continuity and discontinuity of some technology in the contemporary ethnic groups/individuals as well as developed unique technologies that differentiate one ethnic group from another despite of shared some traits.
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- Graduation date
- Fall 2024
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Doctor of Philosophy
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- License
- This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Library with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.