Roman Beads from the Rufiji Delta, Tanzania: First Incontrovertible Archaeological Link with the<i>Periplus</i>

Chami, Felix A.

doi:10.1086/200009

Cited by 85 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Rhapta was described as lying opposite the also unidentified island of "Menouthias"-thought to be either Pemba, Zanzibar, or Mafia. Rhapta would thus be located on the mainland anywhere from the Pangani River to the Rufiji Delta (Baxter 1944;Chami 1999b;Datoo 1970;Horton 1996a:451;Horton and Middleton 2000:33). Here, traders from the Arabian peninsula brought metal objects, including spears, knives, small awls, and different types of "glass stones" (perhaps rock crystal or glass beads), as well as grain and wine, in exchange for ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and possibly nautilus shell (Casson 1989).…”

Section: Archaeological Context: Maritime Trade and Adaptation On Thementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Notably, all other occurrences of foreign trade goods (glass beads, glass pieces, and imported ceramics, usually in extremely small quantities) at coastal EIA sites in eastern Africa also derive from deposits that immediately underlie Middle or Late Iron Age occupations (e.g., Chami 1999bChami , 2003. Reviewing this broader evidence, it is difficult to reconcile the archaeological record-thus far silent on EIA inter-regional trade-with the Periplus' descriptions of long-distance trade.…”

Section: Evidence Of Eia Maritime Tradementioning

confidence: 99%

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Coastal Subsistence, Maritime Trade, and the Colonization of Small Offshore Islands in Eastern African Prehistory

Crowther

Faulkner

Prendergast

et al. 2016

The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology

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Section: Archaeological Context: Maritime Trade and Adaptation On Thementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evidence Of Eia Maritime Tradementioning

confidence: 99%

Coastal Subsistence, Maritime Trade, and the Colonization of Small Offshore Islands in Eastern African Prehistory

Crowther

Faulkner

Prendergast

et al. 2016

The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology

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“…Status differentiation markers in the form of elaborate bead working, imported ceramics or iron objects were not detected in the archaeological record from any of the middle to late Holocene sites recently tested in Tsavo. Such objects are commonly found in later sites in the deep interior of southern and eastern Africa (Fagan, 1972;Kusimba, 2003;Mutoro, 1998;O'Leary, 1984;Reid, 1990;Robertshaw, 1991bRobertshaw, , 1997Taylor et al, 2000) and on the immediate rural periphery of the Swahili Coast (Abungu and Mutoro, 1993;Chami, 1999;Kusimba, 1993Kusimba, , 1999aMutoro, 1987;Walz, 2003). In some of these cases, regional trade was an impetus for the development of local forms of status differentiation and hierarchical political organizations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These finds are significant to the extent that they corroborate historical data that suggests long-distance contact between the Indian Ocean coast and interior was established prior to the establishment of Swahili city-states. Chami (1999) has recovered Roman "gold-in-glass" beads from the Tanzanian site of Mkukutu dating to the 3rd century AD. These finds strengthen the veracity of Periplus account of the port of Rhapta and place the East African coast squarely in the realm of the circum-Mediterranean/Indian Ocean exchange system during the early period of Swahili city-state evolution.…”

Section: Swahili Civilization In a Regional Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Perspectives on Early Regional Interaction Networks of East African Trade: A View from Tsavo National Park, Kenya

Wright

2005

Afr Archaeol Rev

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Archaeologists are interested in understanding whether cross-cultural contact catalyzed by exchange of commodities is a means for people to acquire new technology and cultural ideas. This paper reports the results and analysis of archaeological investigations in Tsavo NationalPark, Kenya in 2001 and 2004 that have recovered evidence of indirect contact between late pastoral neolithic (PN) herders and early iron working (EIW) communities. Analysis of stylistic motifs on ceramics used by both PN and EIW people show that socially constructed notions of aesthetics are similar, implying that a strong cultural connection between the two groups may be possible. New lexico-statistical analyses and archaeological data from Tanzania corroborate that the prehistoric East African milieu was more complex than previously believed. However, pastoralists in Tsavo show no evidence of utilizing iron technology or altering their subsistence strategies among the >10,000 artifacts spanning 4,000+ years of prehistory recovered in the 2001 field season. Thus, long-distance and long-term contact between socially connected groups possessing different technological and subsistence foundations does not necessarily lead to a diffusion of new survival strategies. Les archéologues sont intéressésà comprendre la diffusion technologique et culturelle préhistorique [Les archeologues se sont interestes a comprendre la diffusion prehistorique de la technologie et de la culture]. Le contact entre les cultures catalysées par l'échange des produits est des moyens pour que les personnes acquièrent la nouvelle technologie et les idées culturelles. Cependant, le point auquel certaines idées sont acceptées ou rejetées demeure irrésolu. [Quand le contact contre-culturelle s'allie avec l'exchange de produits, les deux fournissent les nouvelles idees culturelles et technologiques aux gens. Mais, le point d D'autres 111 0263-0338/05/0900-0111/0 C 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 112 Wright données sont nécessaires pour augmenter nos compréhension de l'échange des idées entre les groupes de personnes et comment des changements de technologie. Les investigations archéologiques en parc national de Tsavo, Kenya dans 2001 ont récupéré l'évidence du contact indirect entre les bouviers néolithiques pastoraux (PN) en retard et les premières communautés du fondre de fer (EIW). L'analyse des motifs stylistiques sur la céramique utiliser par des personnes de PN et d'EIW prouvent que les notions socialement construites de l'esthétique sont semblables, impliquant qu'un raccordement culturel fort entre les deux groupes peutêtre possible. Les nouvelles analyses lexico-statistiques et les données archéologiques de Tanzanie corroborent que le milieu africain est préhistoriqueétait plus complexe que précédemment cru. Cependant, les bouviers préhistorique dans Tsavo ne montrent aucuneévidence d'utiliser la technologie de fer ou de changer leurs stratégies de subsistance parmi les >10.000 objets façonnés enjambant les années 4.000+ de la préhistoire récupérées dans la...

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“…Excavations have recovered evidence in the form of Ptolemic gold coins of late 2nd century BC and 4th century AD (Chami, 1994;2009 (Chami, 1999;2009). The ancient Indian trade wind beads 'Mutisalah' beads according to Dubin (1987) seem to have arrived in East Africa several centuries before BC/AD changeover.…”

Section: Evidence Of Ancient Greek and Phoenicians Contact With East mentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical Period Stone Anchors from Mombasa, Kenya: Evidence of Overseas Maritime Trade Contacts with Asia and Middle East

Bita

2015

International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics

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One of the characteristics of the East African Coast has been its accessibility. The sea has been a means of contact with the outside world. Over the last 2000 years, there has been an interpenetration of cultures to this region through trade consequently assimilating this coast into the international economic system. Accessibility from the land has made the East African coast historically an integral part of Africa. This allowed movement of goods from inland to the coast and onward to international markets. This coast has a trade advantage because the monsoon winds and oceanic currents are reliable and permit rapid, seasonal navigation, both along the coast of eastern Africa and across the Indian Ocean to western and southern Asia. A number of scholars have discussed how the monsoon winds and currents facilitated communication between various parts of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) seaboard and the Red sea, the Persian Gulf, and southeastern Asia. These winds caused long distance seasonal sailing along the East African coast and beyond to the rest of the ancient world. The islands of Comoros and Madagascar were also part of the Western Indian Ocean seaboard cultural and trade networks from very early times even before the BC/AD changeover. One of the major ancient coastal cities that played a role in this transoceanic trade is Mombasa in the Kenya coast. This paper explores these ancient trade contacts which have been proven by historical period stone anchors discovered in Mombasa, Kenya..

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Roman Beads from the Rufiji Delta, Tanzania: First Incontrovertible Archaeological Link with thePeriplus

Cited by 85 publications

References 25 publications

Coastal Subsistence, Maritime Trade, and the Colonization of Small Offshore Islands in Eastern African Prehistory

Coastal Subsistence, Maritime Trade, and the Colonization of Small Offshore Islands in Eastern African Prehistory

New Perspectives on Early Regional Interaction Networks of East African Trade: A View from Tsavo National Park, Kenya

Historical Period Stone Anchors from Mombasa, Kenya: Evidence of Overseas Maritime Trade Contacts with Asia and Middle East

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