Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T13:35:12.043Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Revisiting Baranda: a multi-analytical approach in classifying sixteenth/seventeenth-century glass beads from northern Zimbabwe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2017

Farahnaz Koleini ,
Innocent Pikirayi  and
Philippe Colomban
Farahnaz Koleini
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Pretoria, Lynnwood Road, Hatfield, Pretoria 0083, South Africa
Innocent Pikirayi*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Pretoria, Lynnwood Road, Hatfield, Pretoria 0083, South Africa
Philippe Colomban
Affiliation:
Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, UMR 8233, CNRS, MONARIS, F-75005, Paris, France
*
*Author for correspondence (Email: innocent.pikirayi@up.ac.za)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The glass bead trade in southern Africa provides important evidence of interregional contact during the early modern period. Compositional analysis of a large assemblage of imported glass beads from the sixteenth- to seventeenth-century AD trading site of Baranda in northern Zimbabwe reveals a south Asian origin of the majority of the beads. Combining stratigraphic data and morphological analysis with innovative compositional XRF and Raman spectroscopy approaches, the research was able to assign the Baranda beads accurately to their correct chronological range. This coincides with the period of Portuguese dominance of Indian Ocean trade.

Keywords

southern Africanorthern ZimbabweIndo-Pacific tradesixteenth–seventeenth centuries ADglass beadsglass compositionRaman spectroscopypXRF
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 91 , Issue 357 , June 2017 , pp. 751 - 764
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baert, K., Meulebroeck, W., Wouters, H., Cosyns, P., Nys, K., Thienpont, H. & Terryna, H.. 2011. Using Raman spectroscopy as a tool for the detection of iron in glass. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 42: 1789–95. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.2935 Google Scholar
Beck, H.C. 1931. Rhodesian beads, in Caton-Thompson, G., The Zimbabwe culture: ruins and reactions (Appendix I): 229–42. Oxford: Clarendon.Google Scholar
Bonneau, A., Moreau, J., Auger, R., Hancock, R.G.V. & Émard, B.. 2013. Analyses physico-chimiques des perles de traite en verre de facture européenne: quelles instrumentations pour quels résultats? Archéologiques 26: 109–32.Google Scholar
Clark, R.J.H., Cridland, L., Kariuki, B.M., Harris, K.D.M. & Withnall, R.. 1995. Synthesis, structural characterisation and Raman spectroscopy of the inorganic pigments lead tin yellow types I and II and lead antimonate yellow: their identification on medieval paintings and manuscripts. Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions 16: 2577–82. https://doi.org/10.1039/dt9950002577 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Colomban, Ph. 2003. Polymerisation degree and Raman identification of ancient glasses used for jewellery, ceramics, enamels and mosaics. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids 323: 180–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3093(03)00303-X Google Scholar
Colomban, Ph. 2012. Non-destructive Raman analysis of ancient glasses and glazes, in Janssens, K. (ed.) Modern methods for analysing archaeological and historical glass: 273–97. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Colomban, Ph., March, G., Mazerolles, L., Karmous, T., Ayed, N., Ennabli, A. & Slim, H.. 2003. Raman identification of materials used for jewellery and mosaics in Ifriqiya. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 34: 205–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.977 Google Scholar
Colomban, Ph., Tournié, A. & Bellot-Gurlet, L.. 2006. Raman identification of glassy silicates used in ceramics, glass and jewellery: a tentative differentiation guide. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 37: 841–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.1515 Google Scholar
Dussubieux, L., Gratuze, B. & Blet-Lemarquand, M.. 2009. Mineral soda alumina glass: occurrence and meaning. Journal of Archaeological Science 37: 1646–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2010.01.025 Google Scholar
Fischbach, N., Ngoa, A., Colomban, Ph. & Pauly, M.. 2016. Beads excavated from Antsiraka Boira necropolis (Mayotte Island, 12th–13th centuries); colouring agents and glass matrix composition comparison with contemporary southern Africa sites. ArchéoSciences—revue d'archéométrie 40: 83–102.Google Scholar
Francis, P., Jr. 1988. The glass trade beads of Europe: their manufacture, their history, and their identification (World of Beads Monograph Series 8). New York: Lapis Route.Google Scholar
Freeman, J., Wang, A., Kuebler, K., Jolliff, B. & Haskin, L.. 2008. Characterization of natural feldspars by Raman spectroscopy for future planetary exploration. The Canadian Mineralogist 46: 1477–500. https://doi.org/10.3749/canmin.46.6.1477 Google Scholar
Garlake, P.S. 1967. Seventeenth-century Portuguese earthworks in Rhodesia. South African Archaeological Bulletin 21: 157–70. https://doi.org/10.2307/3888122 Google Scholar
Garlake, P.S. 1969. Excavation at the seventeenth-century Portuguese site of Dambarare. Proceedings and Transactions of the Rhodesia Scientific Association 54 (1): 23–61.Google Scholar
Hancock, R.G.V., Aufreiter, S. & Kenyon, I.. 1997. European white glass trade beads as chronological and trade markers, in Vandiver, P., Druzik, J.R., Merkel, J.F. & Stewart, J. (ed.) Materials issues in art and archaeology V (Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings 462): 181–91. Pittsburgh (PA): Materials Research Society.Google Scholar
Hancock, R.G.V., McKechnie, J., Aufreiter, S., Karklins, K., Kapches, M., Sempowski, M., Moreau, J.F. & Kenyon, I.. 2000. Non-destructive analysis of European cobalt blue glass trade beads. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 244: 567–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1006705014455 Google Scholar
Kirmizi, B., Colomban, Ph. & Blanc, M.. 2010a. On-site analysis of Limoges enamels from sixteenth to nineteenth centuries: an attempt to differentiate between genuine artefacts and copies. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 41: 1240–47. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.2566 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kirmizi, B., Colomban, Ph. & Quette, B.. 2010b. On-site analysis of Chinese Cloisonné enamels from fifteenth to nineteenth centuries. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 41: 780–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jrs.2516 Google Scholar
Koleini, F., Prinsloo, L.C., Biemond, W.M., Colomban, Ph., Nego, A., Boeyens, J. & van der Ryst, M.. 2016a. Towards refining the classification of glass trade beads imported into southern Africa from the 8th to the 16th century AD. Journal of Cultural Heritage 19: 435–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2015.11.003 Google Scholar
Koleini, F., Prinsloo, L.C., Biemond, W.M., Colomban, Ph., Nego, A., Boeyens, J., van der Ryst, M. & van Brakel, K.. 2016b. Unravelling the glass trade bead sequence from Magoro Hill, South Africa: separating pre-seventeenth-century Asian imports from later European counterparts. Heritage Science 4 (43): 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-016-0113-2.Google Scholar
Pikirayi, I. 1993. The archaeological identity of the Mutapa state: towards an historical archaeology of northern Zimbabwe (Studies in African Archaeology 6). Uppsala: Societas Archaeologica Upsaliensis.Google Scholar
Pikirayi, I. 2009. Palaces, feiras and prazos: an historical archaeological perspective of African Portuguese contact in northern Zimbabwe. African Archaeological Review 26: 163–85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-009-9054-4 Google Scholar
Prinsloo, L.C. & Colomban, Ph.. 2008. A Raman spectroscopic study of the Mapungubwe oblates: glass trade beads excavated at an Iron Age archaeological site in South Africa. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 39: 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.1816 Google Scholar
Prinsloo, L.C., Tournié, A. & Colomban, Ph.. 2011. A Raman spectroscopic study of glass trade beads excavated at Mapungubwe hill and K2, two archaeological sites in southern Africa, raises question about the last occupation date of the hill. Journal of Archaeological Science 38: 3264–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2011.07.004 Google Scholar
Ricciardi, P., Colomban, Ph., Tournie, A. & Milande, V.. 2009a. Non-destructive on-site identification of ancient glasses: genuine artefacts, embellished pieces or forgeries? Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 40: 604–17. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.2165 Google Scholar
Ricciardi, P., Colomban, Ph., Tournié, A., Macchiarola, M. & Ayed, N.. 2009b. A non-invasive study of Roman Age mosaic glass tesserae by means of Raman spectroscopy. Journal of Archaeological Science 36: 2551–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2009.07.008 Google Scholar
Robertshaw, P., Wood, M., Melchiorre, E., Popelka-Filcoff, R.S. & Glascock, M.D.. 2010. Southern African glass beads: chemistry, glass sources and patterns of trade. Journal of Archaeological Science 37: 1898–1912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2010.02.016 Google Scholar
Robertshaw, P., Wood, M., Haour, A., Karklins, K. & Neff, H.. 2014. Chemical analysis, chronology, and context of a European glass bead assemblage from Garumele, Niger. Journal of Archaeological Science 41: 591–604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2013.08.023 Google Scholar
Rosi, F., Manuali, V., Grygar, T., Bezdicka, P., Brunetti, B.G., Sgamellotti, A., Burgio, L., Seccaroni, C. & Miliani, C.. 2011. Scattering features of lead pyroantimonate compounds: implication for the non-invasive identification of yellow pigments on ancient ceramics. Part II. In situ characterisation of Renaissance plates by portable micro-Raman and XRF studies. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 42: 407–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.2699 Google Scholar
Schofield, J.F. 1938. A preliminary study of the prehistoric beads of the northern Transvaal and Natal. Transaction of the Royal Society of South Africa. 26: 341–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/00359193809519778 Google Scholar
Sempowski, M.L., Nohe, A.W., Moreau, J.F., Kenyon, I., Karklins, K., Aufreiter, S. & Hancock, R.G.V.. 2000. On the transition from tin-rich to antimony-rich European white soda-glass trade beads for the Senecas of northeastern North America. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 244: 559–66. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006767930385 Google Scholar
Theal, G.M. 1898. Records of south-eastern Africa. Cape Town: Government of the Cape Colony.Google Scholar
Tournié, A, Prinsloo, L.C. & Colomban, Ph.. 2012. Raman classification of the glass beads excavated on Mapungubwe hill and K2, two archaeological sites in South Africa. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 43: 532–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrs.3069 Google Scholar
Wood, M. 2000. Making connections: relationships between international trade and glass beads from the Shashe-Limpopo area. South African Archaeological Society. Goodwin Series 8: 78–90.Google Scholar
Wood, M. 2011. A glass bead sequence for southern Africa from the 8th to the 16th century AD. Journal of African Archaeology 9: 67–84. https://doi.org/10.3213/1612-1651-10184 Google Scholar
Supplementary material: PDF

Koleini supplementary material

Koleini supplementary material

Download Koleini supplementary material(PDF)
PDF 30.9 KB