Tanged iron blade with pointed tip (left) and rounded shoulders. Two large concretions adhere to the blade's corroded surface. The tang (right) would have allowed the blade to be hafted to a wooden or bamboo shaft or handle. If hafted to a long shaft, it may have been used as a spear (chombo in Nafaanra). This artifact was found closely associated with a copper alloy twinned figurine, an iron bangle, a rounded quartz pebble and several other objects, which archaeologists interpret as a shrine cluster. The cluster was placed among metal-working features in a metallurgical workshop. Scale in cm. Length: 8.6 cm. Weight: 12.6 g. Site Ngre Kataa. 19 July 2008.
A circular iron bangle, made from a rounded iron rod with abutting ends (bottom of photo). The bangle's surface is corroded by rust. This artifact was found closely associated with a copper alloy twinned figurine, a tanged iron blade, a rounded quartz pebble and several other objects, which archaeologists interpret as a shrine cluster. The cluster was placed among metal-working features in a metallurgical workshop.Scale in cm. Maximum diameter: 8.1 cm. Weight: 75 g. Site Ngre Kataa. 19 July 2008.
A group of insitu artifacts interpreted by archaeologists as a shrine cluster, located in a metallurgical workshop (mound 6). The cluster included a lost-wax-cast twinned figurine (bottom center), an iron bangle (center), a waterworn quartz pebble, a bone fragment (upper left of bangle), a broken iron blade (left of the bone fragment) and a tanged iron blade (upper left of the bangle). An irregularly shaped quartzite cobble (upper left) may have been part of the cluster. Photo scale in cm, arrow pointing north. Site Ngre Kataa. 19 July 2008.
An iron bangle (SF 08-182) made by coiling a flat iron rod with thinned pointed ends. The bangle was found in association with pottery, other bangles and artifacts (cluster A). Archaeologists interpret this context as part of a larger shrine feature (clusters A-D) that capped a metallurgical workshop. The bangle shows signs of corrosion by rusting. Scale in cm. Width: 8.2 cm. Weight: 38.8 cm. Site Ngre Kataa. 15 July 2008.
An iron bangle (SF 08-183) made from a spiral-twisted round iron rod with overlapping ends. The bangle was found in association with pottery, other bangles and a dog cranium and jaws (cluster B). Archaeologists interpret this context as part of a larger shrine feature (clusters A-D) that capped a metallurgical workshop. The bangle shows signs of corrosion by rusting. Scale in cm. Width: 9.5 cm. Weight: 115.5 g. Site Ngre Kataa. 15 July 2008.
An iron bangle (SF 08-184) made by coiling a flattened iron rod, its ends rounded and overlapping. The bangle was found in association with pottery, other bangles and a dog cranium and jaws (cluster B). Archaeologists interpret this context as part of a larger shrine feature (clusters A-D) that capped a metallurgical workshop. The bangle shows signs of corrosion by rusting. Scale in cm. Width: 6.9 cm. Weight: 39.2 g. Site Ngre Kataa. 15 July 2008.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Provenance:
Ngre Kataa, Mound 6, Unit 48N 8W, Level 2. Piece plot: 121-127 cm S, 140-150 S, 53-58 cm bd
An iron bangle (SF 08-140) made by coiling a round iron rod with thinned pointed ends. The bangle was found in association with pottery, other bangles and artifacts (cluster A). Archaeologists interpret this context as part of a larger shrine feature (clusters A-D) that capped a metallurgical workshop. The bangle shows signs of corrosion by rusting. Scale in cm. Width: 8.8 cm. Weight: 40 g. Site Ngre Kataa. 9 July 2008.
An iron bangle (SF 08-139) made by coiling a flat iron rod. One end is pointed, the other squared. The bangle was found in association with pottery, other bangles and artifacts (cluster A). Archaeologists interpret this context as part of a larger shrine feature (clusters A-D) that capped a metallurgical workshop. The bangle shows signs of corrosion by rusting. Scale in cm. Width: 6.1 cm. Weight: 21.3 g. Site Ngre Kataa. 9 July 2008.
An iron bangle (SF 08-169) made from a round iron rod that has been spiral-twisted. The bangle's ends are flattened and overlap slightly. The bangle was found in association with pottery, other bangles and artifacts (cluster A). Archaeologists interpret this context as part of a larger shrine feature (clusters A-D) that capped a metallurgical workshop. The bangle shows signs of corrosion by rusting. Scale in cm. Width: 9.1 cm. Weight: 96.8 g. Site Ngre Kataa. 14 July 2008.
An iron bangle (SF 08-184) made by coiling a flattened iron rod, its ends rounded and overlapping. The bangle was found in association with a concentration of artifacts, including pottery, other iron bangles, a dog skull and jaw bones (cluster B), that archaeologists interpret as part of a larger shrine feature (clusters A-D). This feature capped stratigraphic layers in a metallurgical workshop (mound 6). The bangle shows signs of corrosion by rusting. Scale in cm. Width: 6.9 cm. Weight: 39.2 g. Site Ngre Kataa. 15 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.