A photo scale has been placed next to a partial elephant ivory tusk, which rests insitu against an anvil stone (GS 09-32) in an area (mound 6) that archaeologists interpret as a metallurgical workshop. Several smaller stones surround the cluster. This group of objects was found adjacent to and at approximately the same depth as a series of other artifact clusters (A-D) that archaeologists interpret as a large shrine feature which capped stratified deposits associated with metalworking activities. The tusk was friable and poorly preserved, but had visible Schreger Lines diagnostic of elephant ivory. Photo scale marked in 5 cm increments. North is top of photo. Site Ngre Kataa. 10 June 2009.
An area of orange-red burned features has been exposed in excavation units 46N 8W and 48N 8W in an area (mound 6) that archaeologists interpret as a metallurgical workshop. Left, back (west), the body and base of a large pottery bowl (NK 08-522) has been pedestaled insitu. A number of iron bangles surrounded this bowl (cluster A) as part of a large shrine cluster (A-D) that extended into adjacent units. The everted jar rim visible in the north wall of the excavation (upper right) was part of this wider set (cluster B). The base of these clusters was about 20-30 cm above the burned basins exposed in this photo, which were likely associated with metal forging. Center photo, flanked by a photo scale, the round rim of a pottery jar is visible in outline. To the north of the burned features (right, foreground), a zone of white plaster-like sediment is visible. Red and white scale is two meters in length. Arrow pointing north. Site Ngre Kataa. 17 July 2008.
Archaeologist Ben Nutor uses a trowel to scrape soil from around a cluster of objects that archaeologists interpret as a shrine feature (cluster A) in a metallurgical workshop (mound 6). An orange flag marks the location of an iron bangle (SF 08-140), the first of four that were found surrounding the large pottery bowl (NK 08-522) seen partially exposed in front of Nutor. An iron headpan used to carry dirt for screening sits nearby. Site Ngre Kataa. 9 July 2008.