Exploring the use of geophysical survey on the Swahili coast
Vumba Kuu, Kenya
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6041610 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Wynne-Jone (0000-0002-3005-8647, University of York, corresponding author), Stephanie Wynne-Jone |
| Year | 2012 |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 137-152 |
| Publication date | 2012-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Azania Archaeological Research in Africa (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0067-270X • E-ISSN: 1945-5534 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/0067270x.2012.677324 |
| OpenAlex | W2020239539 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 16 |
| References cited | 15 |
The application of geophysical survey in sub-Saharan Africa has been limited compared to other parts of the world. Geophysical techniques offer the possibility of conducting broad-scale survey relatively quickly, and of providing information on the layout of structures within a previously defined site. In a context in which ephemeral architecture is in the majority, the latter approach is an invaluable complement to surface survey and guide to excavation. At the site of Vumba Kuu, Kenya, magnetometry has proven successful at recovering information on the overall layout of the town and at providing hints as to the nature of archaeological remains within the areas identified. Vumba is a fourteenth- to fifteenth-century Swahili town made up almost exclusively of impermanent architecture, contained within an enclosing wall. This paper presents the results of geophysical survey at the site, conducted under the aegis of the British Institute in Eastern Africa. The methodology and main conclusions are presented as an experiment in the use of geophysics in an urban site on the coast of East Africa. The ways that the techniques used might enable a better understanding of activities and interactions within Swahili towns are also discussed
Archaeology · Cartography · Civil engineering · Context (archaeology · Ephemeral key · Excavation · Geography · Geophysical survey · Scale (ratio · Swahili · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Architecture · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · Computer Science · Engineering · Geology · Geophysics · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories
Detecting architectural features and stratigraphic deposits at a Pastoral Neolithic site using ground-penetrating radar
The public life of the Swahili stonehouse, 14th–15th centuries AD
Deciphering public spaces in urban contexts
Integrating spatial and legacy data to understand archaeological sites in their landscape. A case study from Unguja Ukuu, Zanzibar
Geophysical Survey in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Urbanizing Forest
A Technology of Multiple Smelting Furnaces per Termite Mound
Geospatial Analysis in African Archaeology
Beyond Commoner and Elite in Swahili Society
An Identification Guide for Metallurgical Sites in Tanzania
Making metals in East Africa and beyond
First geophysical exploration in the tumuli zone of central Senegal
Contributions of archaeological geophysics to field research in Sub-Saharan Africa
Fifty years in the archaeology of the eastern African coast
Detecting and mapping the 'ephemeral
Understanding the layout of early coastal settlement at Unguja Ukuu, Zanzibar
Fortifications et urbanisation en Afrique orientale
Population and Ceramic Traditions
Shanga
Swahili Architecture, Space and Social Structure
Swahili Architecture, Space and Social Structure
A Look Into the Earth
Kilwa
Notes on the History of Vumba, East Africa
Elusive wattle-and-daub
Population and ceramic traditions
This is what pots look like here
Kilwa
The Swahili and the Mediterranean worlds
The social context of iron forging on the Kenya coast
| Unique citing works | 16 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,23 |
| Citation span | 2013 - 2026 (14) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 16 |