A perforated pottery jar lidded with the pedestaled base of another pot sits in situ at the base of level 6, unit 46N 2W at Mound 6. The pot contained eight cowries and is interpreted by archaeologists as a shrine pot placed in association with metalworking facilities. Photo scale in 5 cm increments. Site Ngre Kataa. 24 June, 2009.
Side view of a broken pottery sherd with a large slag inclusion. The use of crushed slag as a tempering material included in potting clay is first seen in pottery associated with Ngre phase sites in the Banda area. The use of crushed slag as a temper intensifies during Kuulo phase times, after which it becomes uncommon. Ngre Kataa, June, 2008.
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 4 views (1: front; 2: side view, pipe bowl on left; 3: stem end; 4: top, looking into pipe bowl). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe's straight-sided cylindrical bowl has a flat, circular base with traces of red pigment. The bowl's rim has broken away. The stem joins the bowl above the base (referred to as a "double-angled" form). The stem flares slightly outward toward its rim. The stem's lip shows traces of red paint. The pipe's surface is unevenly blackened. The bowl is decorated with incised lines. Two horizontal lines bound a zone of repeated "X" incisions marked by traces of red pigment. Photo scale in cm. Site A212. 18 February, 2001.
Broken bowl of a locally made clay smoking pipe, 2 views (left: bowl interior; right: bowl exterior). Pipes like this were made across West Africa after Europeans learned the practice of smoking tobacco from First Peoples of the Americas and introduced it to Africa in early centuries of the trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe bowl has a flared pedestal base decorated with red paint. The oval bowl is decorated with vertical rows of triangular impressions, above which are two grooved lines and an area with red paint. The bowl's interior is blackened from use toward its base. The bowl's rim and its stem are missing. The potting clay used to make the pipe is tempered with fine white grit. Photo scale in cm. Site Kuulo Kataa. 28 June, 2000.
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 4 views (bottom: pipe base; center left: view from side with bowl to right; center right: front of bowl; top: view from top). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe has a cylindrical bowl and lobed ("quatrefoil") base, the bottom of which shows signs of abrasion. On the base, vertical grooves mark the areas between lobes. Four horizontal gooves separate the base from a zone of vertical columns of diagonal impressions ("V"). Upper areas of the bowl are marked by another set of horizontal grooves. The bowl's rim is missing. Its stem joins the bowl at the base (a "single-angled" form). The cylindrical stem ends in a collar with a flat lip. The stem is decorated with two grooves line around its circumference. Photo scale in cm. Site A236. 23 March, 2001.
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 3 views (bottom: pipe base; center: view from side with bowl to left; view from top). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe has a cylindrical bowl and rounded base that shows extreme use-wear abrasion to that point that a hole has formed in the pipe's base. The bowl is decorated with two sets of horizontal incisions. Below the bottom set are several vertical incisions. Above the top set is faint overall dentate impression The bowl's rimis very abraded. The pipe's stem joins the bowl at the base (a "single-angled" form). The cylindrical stem ends in a rounded collar with a flat lip. Photo scale in cm. Site A236. 24 March, 2001.
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 2 views (bottom: view from side with pipe's bowl on left; top: view from top). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe's cylindrical bowl has a flared pedestal base which shows signs of wear/abrasion. The rim of the pipe bowl has broken away. The pipe's stem joins the bowl above the base (a "double-angled" form). The stem flares outward toward a flattened lip. The pipe's surface shows traces of overall red slip/paint. The pipe bowl is decorated with closely spaced rows of dentate impression. Soil adheres to the bowl's interior which was not washed after excavation. Photo scale in cm. Site A212. 17 Feburary, 2001.
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 2 views (bottom: view from side with pipe bowl to the left; top: view from top). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe's cylindrical bowl has a flared pedestal base, the bottom of which shows signs of wear/abrasion. The bowl's rim has broken away. The stem joins the bowl at the base (a "single-angled" form). The cylindrical stem flares at the rim to a flattened lip. The pipe bowl is decorated with closely spaced rows of dentate impression. The flared base is decorated with several clusters of incised lines. Photo scale in cm. Site A233. 10 March, 2001.
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 3 views (center: view from side with pipe bowl to the left; top: view from top; bottom: view of base). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe was recovered in pieces, which have been refitted. The pipe's bowl is outward flaring but is missing its rim. The bowl's base is flared and lobed (a "quatrefoil" form) and shows signs of wear/abrasion. The stem joins the bowl at its base (a "single-angled" form). The pipe stem is decorated with closely spaced incised lines, but its end and rim are missing. The bowl is decorated by bands of incised lines which bound zones of dentate impression. Dentate impressions mark the area between lobes on the base. The bowl's interior is blackened from use. Photo scale in cm. Site Makala Kataa. 3 July, 1989.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Provenance:
Makala Kataa, Station 6, Mound 5, Unit 4W 0S, Level 3
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 3 views (bottom left: view from front; bottom right: side with pipe bowl to the left; top: view from top). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe's bowl has a slightly flared base, the bottom of which shows signs of abrasion. Above its base, the pipe bowl is outward flaring. The bowl is decorated by overall diagonal incisions that meet to form a "V" pattern. The front is marked by a vertical row of circular impressions. Rounded appliques have been added to the bowl near to its base. The bowl's rim is missing. Its stem joins the bowl at its base (a "single-angled" form). The cylindrical stem is slightly collared at its end and has a rounded lip. The pipe has been minimally cleaned on the exterior and soil remains in the bowl interior. Photo scale in cm. Site Kuulo Kataa. 6 July, 1995.
Broken bowl of a locally made clay smoking pipe, 2 views (left: bowl interior; right: bowl exterior). Pipes like this were made across West Africa after Europeans learned the practice of smoking tobacco from First Peoples of the Americas and introduced it to Africa in early centuries of the trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe bowl flares outward toward its rim and inward toward its base. Its inward-flaring bottom is decorated with red paint in a zone marked by a deep horizontal groove. Above this, decorated zones are separated by two vertical grooves. Zones of hatched incised lines alternate with vertical rows of rectangular impressions. The top half of the bowl's interior is blackened from use. The bowl's base and the pipe's stem are missing. The potting clay used to make the pipe is tempered with fine white grit. Photo scale in cm. Site Kuulo Kataa. 6 July, 2000.
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 2 views (bottom: view from side with pipe bowl to the left; top: view from top). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe's bowl has a flared pedestal base with traces of red paint. The rounded pipe bowl is marked by deep vertical grooves at its base, above which are closely spaced horizontal rows of dentate impressions. The bowl's rim is missing. Its stem joins the bowl at its base (a "single-angled" form). The stem is collared at its end and has a flat lip. The potting clay used to make the pipe is tempered with fine white grit. Photo scale in cm. Site Kuulo Kataa. 4 July, 2000.
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 2 views (bottom: view from side with pipe bowl to the left; top: view from top). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe's bowl has a flared pedestal base, the bottom of which shows signs of abrasion. Above its base, the pipe bowl is decorated with a zone of criss-cross incisions demarcated by two horizonal incisions (one above and one below). The bowl's rim is missing. Its stem joins the bowl above its base (a "double-angled" form). The stem flares somewhat toward its lip which is flattened. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa. 27 May, 2009.
Stem and base of a clay smoking pipe, 2 views (bottom: view from side with pipe bowl to the right; top: view from top). Short-stemmed pipes like this were made across West Africa after Europeans learned the practice of smoking tobacco from First Peoples of the Americas and introduced it to Africa in early centuries of the trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe has a round flared base. Its bowl is missing. The stem joins the bowl at the base (a "single-angled" form). The cylindrical stem has a collared, lobed ("quatrefoil") lip with circular impressions and small incisions on each of four lobes. The pipes is decorated overall with a red slip. Photo scale in cm. Site Makala Kataa. 27 June, 1990.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Provenance:
Makala Kataa, Station 6, Mound 4, Unit 14W 35S, Level 11
A short-stemmed, locally made clay smoking pipe, 3 views (bottom left: bowl base and step viewed from top; bottom right: bowl base and stem from side, with pipe bowl to the left; top: bowl front). Pipes like this were inspired by those used by America's First Peoples from whom Europeans learned about tobacco. Europeans introduced tobacco smoking to West Africa during the early centuries of trans-Atlantic trade. This pipe's bowl has a slightly pedestaled base, the bottom of which shows signs of abrasion. Above its base, the pipe bowl is outward flaring and constricts slightly at the lip. The upper area of the bowl is decorated by overall vertical incisions interspersed with single vertical rows of circular impressions. A horizontal groove marks the boundary between a lower zone decorated with angled incisions. The pipe's stem joins the bowl above the bowl base (a "double-angled" form) and its lip is rounded. The pipe has been decorated with an overall red slip. It has been minimally cleaned on the exterior and soil remains in the bowl interior, with the end of a root visible in the bowl's base. Photo scale in cm. Site Kuulo Kataa. 29 June, 1995.
Interior view (left) and exterior view (right) of a partial pottery jar. The pot was found insitu near an anvil/grinding stone in an area interpreted by archaeologists as a metallurgical workshop. The jar's everted rim is rounded (right, top). Its exterior surface (right, bottom) shows evidence of layering, with an upper layer of clay added to a leather-hard lower layer before the pot was fired. The pot's walls are thicker than typical domestic pottery. Its find location suggests that it was probably made for an industrial rather than domestic purpose (possible pot bellow?). Dark smudging on the exterior surface affected both the upper and lower layers of clay, implying that it was exposed to high heat in a reducing atmosphere after manufacture. Striations on the vessel's interior (left) are the result of smoothing and forming during manufacture, with a small area of post-manufacture smudging visible (upper left). The vessel's ceramic fabric is tempered with laterite and crushed slag inclusions. It was found in close association with an anvil/grinding stone (GS 09-15), a circular iron disc (SF 09-370) and an irregularly shaped flat piece of iron (SF 09-371). Intact rim's diameter (exterior lip): 13.5 cm. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa. 4 July 2009.
A large insitu anvil/grinding stone in an area interpreted by archaeologists as a metallurgical workshop. It is associated with several smaller stones that show signs of use as grinding or hammer stones. On the northwest side of the stone is a partial pottery vessel--unusual for its layered construction (NK 09-787). To the right of the partial pot are two flat iron discs (larger, above, SF 09-370 and smaller, below SF 90-371). The smaller grinding stone (upper left of photo) rested, grinding surface down, on top of a pottery jar (NK 09-788) which was exposed in the next excavation level. Photo scale bar in 5 cm increments. Photo arrow pointing north. Site Ngre Kataa. 4 July 2009.
A large insitu anvil/grinding stone in an area interpreted by archaeologists as a metallurgical workshop (two views). It is associated with several smaller stones that show signs of use as grinding or hammer stones. On the northwest side of the large stone (GS 09-15) is a partial pottery vessel--unusual for its layered construction (NK 09-787). Sitting adjacent to the partial pot are two flat iron discs (larger one, above in photo 1, SF 09-370 and smaller, below in photo 1, SF 90-371). A smaller grinding stone (GS 09-24) sits northeast of the anvil stone, positioned with its grinding surface down. It rested on top of a pottery jar (NK 09-788) which was exposed in the next excavation level. An area of fire-hardened sediment to the southeast of the anvil stone (photo 2) is interpreted as part of a forging feature. Photo scale bar in 5 cm increments. Photo arrow pointing north. Site Ngre Kataa. 4 July 2009.
Photo of a globular pottery jar (NK 08-176) found in an area (mound 6) that archaeologists interpret as a metallurgical workshop. The pot was found sitting next to a large grinding stone (GS 08-03). The jar's lip is slightly everted and its upper surface is undecorated. A horizontal band of contiguous diagonal impressions marked in alternating directions ("/\/\") appears above the jar's rounded shoulder. Its lower body and base are darkened and surface treated with fiber roulette impression. Rim diameter: 18cm at exterior lip. Vessel height (base to rim): 17 cm. Photo scale in cm. Site Ngre Kataa. 1 July 2008.
Photo of a pottery jar with a slightly everted rim (NK 08-406), found insitu in an area that archaeologists interpret as a metallurgical workshop. Above its rounded shoulder, the jar's surface is undecorated, with the possible exception of traces of red pigment in some areas. The jar's shoulder is decorated with a band of circular punctates interspersed with cross-hatched designs, repeated twice around the jar's circumference. Its base and lower body are surface treated with cord roulette in a zone bounded by a band of diagonal impressions which create a zigzag design ("/\/\"). The jar is fire-clouded in zones across its surface. The jar was found in the vicinty of a grinding stone (GS 08-10), a partial tuyere (NK 08-284) and a burned feature. Rim diameter at exterior lip: 20 cm. Vessel height: 19 cm. Site Ngre Kataa. 15 July 2008.