The Ewe fishermen who supplied local and regional markets with freshwater fish from the Black Volta River traveled in locally made wooden canoes. Several are moored on the south bank of the river near the Dam Site settlement, a short distance downstream from the projected site of the Bui Dam. Dam Site, 7 October, 1982.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Date:
1982-10-07
Location(s) Facet:
Dam Site
Subjects:
Dam Site
Subjects Facet:
Fishing; Canoes; Ewe (African people); Black Volta River; Rivers
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.
To the right of a large tree, a field planted with tobacco is seen from the roadside. After clear-cutting, the rectangular field was tractor-plowed and planted with seedlings provided by the Pioneer Tobacco Company. Trees left standing mark the edges of the field. Visible in foreground is scarring created by construction of a new grated road. Near Nyrie, June, 1994.
A cashew tree (Anacardium sp.) grows in an agricultural field planted (foreground) with calabash (Lagenaria siceraria). Sampson Attah stands near the tree. Calabash has long been grown as a cash crop for local and regional sale in the Banda area. When cashew trees were first planted in the area from the mid-1990s, they were grown singly or in small numbers. A growing shift to cashew farming in the area during the early 2000s was accompanied by the planting of large stands of cashew trees referred to locally as "plantations." Banda area, June, 1995.
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.
Standing on the south bank of the Black Volta River near Bui village, looking east-northeast to the gap in the Banda hills where the Bui Dam was constructed after 2008. The area between Bui village and the river was the site of a 19th-century village, Bui Kataa (old Bui). This area was flooded by the rising waters of Bui Lake as it formed behind Bui Dam after 2012. Bui Village, 25 July, 1982.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Date:
1982-07-25
Location(s) Facet:
Bui
Subjects:
Bui Lake; Bui Kataa; Savanna woodland; Vegetation
Subjects Facet:
Bui Dam (Ghana); Landscapes; Riparian forests; Black Volta River; Mountains
The soil of a agricultural mound has been dug away to expose a yam (Dioscorea sp.) tuber. The yam vine spreads across the mound and beyond at the top of the photo, its roots surrounding the tuber. A yellow pencil is placed to the left of the yam to provide scale. Banda area, June, 1982.
Yam mounds have been raised in a partially cleared agricultural field. Small trees have been left to supply support for climbing vines and to aid fallowing after the field has been used for several years. The hard work of forming the mounds using short-handled hoes takes place early in the dry season, after which mounds are planted with yam cuttings during the months of January-February. The vines grow throughout the rainy months of April to August, forming new tubers which are ready for harvesting in late August-September. Banda area, Dec. 1982.
A roadside agricultural field is planted with cassava (Manihot esculenta). The palmate leaves of the mature plants are visible growing among trees that were left standing when the intercropped field was first prepared. Regular weeding is needed to control spear grass, which can be seen growing at the edge of the field. Cassava is grown for its tubers, which can be harvested over a long period and store well when processed and dried. Its leaves are valued as an ingredient in soups. Planted early in the rainy season (April-May) the tubers mature in 6-18 months, depending on variety. Cassava tolerates poorer soils than yams (Dioscorea sp.), which are a preferred food in the area. Therefore, cassava it is grown in intercropped fields after yams are grown in the first year or two and before fields are left to fallow. Roadside near Nyire, August, 1994.
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.
Family history interview with members of Gbla Wolo Katoo, including Nana Sie Jiniŋge, Ankobeahene (seated, center) as well as Ha Yaw, Sie Yaw Bediako, Asoma Kramo, Siedu, Kwaku Frimpong and Kwasi Wankyi, Sabiye, 15 August, 1986.
Gbԑԑnlԑԑ Katoo in Gbao celebrates the funeral of the caretaker of a shrine who was understood to have been killed by the 'fetish' because of harm he allegedly planned against family members. In this case, the funeral involves special forms of drumming, dancing and songs as part of a thanksgiving to the shrine. Here, two women dance (Ma Millah, center, Adwoa Kupo, right). To the left Yaw Ble plays an antelope antler horn. He wears a strip-woven smock adorned with amulets sewn into leather packets. Two photos. Gbao, 8 August, 1986.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Gbao
Subjects:
Amulets; Gbԑԑnlԑԑ (Gbeenlee) Katoo
Subjects Facet:
Funeral customs and rites; Dance; West African strip weaving; Rites and ceremonies; Drums (musical instrument)
Gbԑԑnlԑԑ Katoo in Gbao celebrates the funeral of the caretaker of a shrine who was understood to have been killed by the 'fetish' because of harm he allegedly planned against family members. In this case, the funeral involves special forms of drumming, dancing and songs as part of a thanksgiving to the shrine. Here, Ma Millah dances, center. To the left Yaw Ble plays an antelope antler horn. Standing right, Kwame Fnaso drums. Eleven photos. Gbao, 8 August, 1986.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Gbao
Subjects:
Gbԑԑnlԑԑ (Gbeenlee) Katoo; Horn; Atumpan drums
Subjects Facet:
Drums (musical instrument); Funeral customs and rites; Dance; Rites and ceremonies