End view of a fired clay tuyere fragment used in an iron smelting furnace. A thick layer of slag produced during the smelting process coats the tuyere's outside surface (upper right). The tuyere was used to introduce air to the interior chamber of a smelting furnace. The tuyere was collected during site survey by N. Leith Smith in the course of his doctoral dissertation research. The tuyere was recovered in his survey area A, Site 7, Quad P14. Banda area, 8 February, 1997.
Side view of a fired clay tuyere fragment used in an iron smelting furnace. A thick layer of slag produced during the smelting process coats the tuyere's outside surface. The tuyere was used to introduce air to the interior chamber of a smelting furnace. The tuyere was collected during site survey by N. Leith Smith in the course of his doctoral dissertation research. The tuyere was recovered in his survey area A, Site 7, Quad P14. A catalog tag indicating provenience information is tied to the tuyere with string. Banda area, 8 February, 1997.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, Levels 5-6. The jar (Vessel 1) was located in the north profile wall of the unit, together with another vessel (Vessel 2).
The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. To the right and below the carination, a portion of the exterior surface has broken away. The upper area of the jar is decorated with three horizontal grooved lines, inbetween which are lines of dentate impression. Just above the carination is another line of dentate impression and a grooved line. To the left and right, on the upper side of the carination, sets of two triangular designs were applied, consisting of three punctates connected by two short grooved lines. The area inside the triangle is marked by crossed dentate impressions, forming an "X" inside the triangle. This design was repeated twice on the recovered portion of the jar. It was likely repeated a third time on the missing portion. Below the carination are two shallow horizontal grooves. The jar's base is smooth, with no surface treatment applied. Roughly 65% of the vessel was recovered. Rim diameter 25 cm at exterior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 5 April, 2001.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, Level 5. The jar (Vessel 2) was located in the north profile wall of the unit together with another vessel (Vessel 1). The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. The upper area of the jar is decorated with three horizontal grooved lines inbetween which are lines of dentate impression. The base of the jar is surface treated with a twisted cord roulette. Two roughly parallel horizontal grooved lines separate the cord rouletted zone from a plain zone below the carination. A hole in the base of the pot (ca. 7 cm across) may have been deliberately broken in this otherwise whole pot. Rim diameter 22 cm at exterior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 5 April, 2001.
Members of the Banda Research Project, Maria Dores Cruz (left) and Osei Kofi (right) stand near a surveying level mounded on a tripod. The level was used to map the site's contours and establish grid lines to orient excavation units. A local-made short-handled hoe lies in front of the tripod, its wide flat blade standing upright. Bottom left are stacked headpans used to move soil between excavation units and screens. Station 6, Makala Kataa, June 1994.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, Level 20. The jar was located in the west profile wall of the unit. The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. A single horizontal line of wavy line impression was applied to the neck constriction, with the area above the carination otherwise plain. The base of the jar is surface treated with a fiber (perhaps braided strip) roulette. Two roughly parallel horizontal grooved lines are superimposed over the roulette treatment. Whole pot. Rim diameter 17.5 cm at exterior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 3 April, 2001.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Provenance:
Ngre Kataa (Banda 40), Mound 4, Unit 1, Level 20, W Wall.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, levels 15-16, where the jar was exposed in the south wall of the excavation unit. The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. The area above the carination was decorated by five unevenly placed horizontal grooved lines. In three places around the vessel's circumference, the grooved line just above the carination is marked by "ꓥ." In a zone that begins c. 2 cm below the carination, lower areas of the jar are surface treated with a carved roulette impression. The ceramic fabric includes mixed grit (including laterite and quartz) and likely also finely crushed slag. An INAA sample (Banda 40/3) from the jar could not be assigned to a known source group. Roughly 2/3 of the vessel present. Rim diameter: 22.5 cm at interior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 5 April, 2001.
Photo of an everted-rim pottery jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, levels 15-16, where the jar was exposed in the south wall of the excavation unit. The jar has a carinated shoulder and a rounded base. The area above the carination was decorated by five unevenly placed horizontal grooved lines. In three places around the vessel's circumference, the grooved line just above the carination is marked by "ꓥ." In a zone that begins c. 2 cm below the carination, lower areas of the jar are surface treated with a carved roulette impression. The ceramic fabric includes mixed grit (including laterite and quartz) and likely also fine crushed slag. An INAA sample (Banda 40/3) from the jar could not be assigned to a known group. Roughly 2/3 of the vessel present. Rim diameter: 22.5 cm at interior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 5 April, 2001.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Provenance:
Ngre Kataa (Banda 40), Mound 4, Unit 1, Level 15, South Wall
Photo of an everted-rim jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 1, Unit 1, Levels 4-5. The jar (Vessel 3) was found sitting upright in association with a cluster of several other complete and broken pots (Vessels 1 & 2) in what has been interpreted as a kitchen area. Most of the jar has been surface treated with a twisted cord roulette. Single pendant grooved lines surround the circumference of the jar. A total of five circular impressions, perhaps made with a hollow reed, are placed below the intersection points of the pendant grooves. A hole in the base of the pot (ca. 7 cm across) may have been deliberately broken in this otherwise whole pot. Rim diameter: 17.5 cm at exterior lip. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 3 April, 2001.
Photo of an everted-rim jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 1, Unit 1, Levels 4-6. The jar (Vessel 2) was found sitting upright in association with a cluster of several other complete (Vessels 1 & 3) and broken pots in what has been interpreted as a kitchen area. The upper surface of the round-based jar is undecorated. In a zone bounded by double grooved lines, the base and lower surface of the jar is surface treated with maize cob roulette. Groups of three circular punctates mark the spots where gooved lines meet. A hole in the base of the pot (4 x 3.5 cm) may have been deliberately broken in this otherwise whole pot. Rim diameter: 20.5 cm at exterior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 4 March, 2001.
Photo of an everted-rim jar excavated from Ngre Kataa, Mound 4, Unit 1, Level 16. The undecorated exterior surface of the round-based jar is orange-brown from firing, with areas of black fire-clouding. Roughly 30% of jar is represented. Rim diameter: 21 cm at exterior lip. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa ("Banda 40"). 28 March, 2001.
Photo of a pottery bowl rim, interior view, with profile depicted (left). The shallow bowl's flattened rim is decorated with intersecting red painted lines, and the interior surface with zones of red paint. A narrow band of red paint appears on the external lip of the bowl, which has an otherwise plain exterior surface. An INAA sample ("Banda 27-7") from this bowl was assigned to the "K2" group of ceramic fabrics. It was therefore likely made from clays mined east of the Banda hills. Rim diameter: 26 cm at the interior lip. Sherd represents an estimated 12% of the bowl's circumference. Scale in cm. Site Banda 27. 27 January, 2001.