Cultivating Complexity
Thirteenth Century AD Crop Systems and Wild Plant Utilization, South Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6414009 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Bianca Steyn (University of Pretoria), Alexander Antonites (0000-0001-8831-9638, University of Pretoria) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 383-405 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-31 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | African Archaeological Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0263-0338 • E-ISSN: 1572-9842 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10437-025-09628-6 |
| OpenAlex | W4412774309 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 58 |
The thirteenth century AD was a period that was marked by significant social changes, including the development of a class-based social system and the rise of elite sites like Mapungubwe, which became regional political centers. While substantial gains have been made in understanding MIA agriculture, some problems remain. For one, our knowledge of the spatial distribution and variability of agricultural practices is limited. As a result, this article provides a detailed analysis of macrobotanical assemblages from six archaeological sites located north of the Soutpansberg. Five crop species and 11 wild taxa were identified. Cenchrus americanus , Sorghum bicolor , and Vigna unguiculata were present at most sites. Eleusine coracana was identified from a single site within a higher rainfall zone. Vigna radiata was present at two sites, which attests to the incorporation of this imported crop into the interior. Our study is the first to compare macrobotanical results from communities that occupied different sociopolitical strata within the Mapungubwe world and from different regions. The results shed light on thirteenth-century crops and potential factors that influence plant use, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the diet and agricultural practices of MIA communities
Agroforestry · Archaeology · Biology · Crop · Geography · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Forestry
Contrasting Patterns in Crop Domestication and Domestication Rates
Ethnobotanical Study of Indigenous Plants used by the Members of Mantheding Community in Limpopo Province, South Africa
K2 and Mapungubwe
Radiocarbon Dating of the Iron Age Sequence in the Limpopo Valley
Mapungubwe and the Origins of the Zimbabwe Culture
No Rain, No Grain? Ethnoarchaeology of Sorghum and Millet Cultivation in Dryland Environments of Sudan, Pakistan, and Ethiopia
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Archaeological evidence for climatic change during the last 2000 years in southern Africa
How Important was the Presence of Elephants as a Determinant of the Zhizo Settlement of the Greater Mapungubwe Landscape
The archaeobotany of Indian pulses
Climate change during the Iron Age in the Shashe-Limpopo Basin, southern Africa
New Pathways of Sociopolitical Complexity in Southern Africa
Fiber Spinning During the Mapungubwe Period of Southern Africa
Livelihood Security, Vulnerability and Resilience
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Proposal for the systematic description and taphonomic study of carbonized cereal grain assemblages
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The Mid-Continental Journal Of Archaeology
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Are drylands marginal? The case of Mananzve, Shashi region, southwestern Zimbabwe
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Where are the gardens? Early Iron Age horticulture in the Thukela River Basin of South Africa
Archaeology and Ethnohistory of the African Iron Age
Architectural traditions of Mapungubwe and Bambandyanalo (K2)
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| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |