Archaeological Investigations of Early Trade and Urbanism at Gao Saney (Mali)

Bibliographic Data

ID6042077
AuthorsMamadou Cisse (Institut National des Sciences de l'Archéologie et du Patrimoine, corresponding author)
Year2013
Volume48
Issue1
Pages147-148
Publication date2013-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAzania Archaeological Research in Africa (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0067-270X • E-ISSN: 1945-5534
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/0067270x.2012.756752
OpenAlexW1744987773
LanguageEN
Citations received24

Excavations at the mound site of Gao Saney, located near the historic town of\nGao eastern Niger Bend, Mali, revealed over six meters of domestic deposits and debris\nfrom secondary processing of glass and copper dating to the period 700--1100 A.D. This\nis 200-300 years earlier than anticipated and points to the early development oflong\ndistance trade networks. Lead isotope analysis of copper and glass samples using LAICP-\nMS points to multiple sources areas, including copper ores in Tunisia and glass\nproduction areas in the Middle East. Secondary processing of copper and glass took\nplace at the site, and a substantial portion ofthe sequence comprised mud brick structures\nand associated domestic trash and wall collapse episodes. The distinctive polychrome\npottery assemblage found in the Gao Saney deposits occurs along a 500 km stretch of the\nNiger Bend between Bentia to the south and Timbucktu to the west, where it appears\nsuddenly and intrusively c. 650-700 A.D. This thesis documents the excavations and the\nmaterial culture, chronology, subsistence economy and production activities at the site. It\nargues that the findings support the identification of Gao Saney with the trading town\nSarneh mentioned in a tenth century Arab chronicle.\nThe relationship of Gao Saney to Gao Ancien, the putative "royal town" of\nKawkaw, is considered through a comparison of material excavated from a massive stone\nbuilding complex there with the material from Gao Saney. The first millennium pottery at\nboth sites is identical, but elite goods and stone architecture are present in abundance\nonly at Gao Ancien. The evidence supports the identification of a royal town linked to\nGao Saney by market and trade relations linked to early long-distance trade

Archaeology · Geography · Urbanism · African Studies and Ethnography · African Studies and Geopolitics · Architecture · History