The Role of Ethnohistoric Data in Reconstructing Ancient Siderurgy in Dogon Country (Mali)

Bibliographic Data

ID19558796
AuthorsCaroline Robion‐brunner (0000-0001-6273-8383, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, corresponding author), Caroline Robion-Brunner
Year2012
Volume4
Publication date2012-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePalethnologie (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2108-6532 • E-ISSN: 2108-6532
PublisherOpenEdition (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.4000/palethnologie.6236
OpenAlexW4379531561
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited9

Since 2002, research on paleometallurgy in Dogon Country has revealed an exceptional history of siderurgical activity. More than one hundred smelting sites have been recorded, mapped and studied for the first time. Based on technological, cultural and economic criteria, we have attributed these sites to seven different siderurgical traditions. The existence and cohabitation of such diverse metallurgical remains within a limited geographic area (15 000 km2) are very surprising. In this paper, we attempt to interpret this archaeological observation with the aid of ethnohistoric data. Based on this comparison of several sources, we propose a new historic scenario retracing the evolution of the traditional production of iron in Dogon Country

Archaeology · Cohabitation · Ethnology · Geography · Sociology · Anthropology · European Linguistics and Anthropology · History · Metallurgy and Cultural Artifacts · Water management and technologies

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