Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T13:56:46.932Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ounjougou (Mali): A history of holocene settlement at the southern edge of the Sahara

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2015

E. Huysecom ,
S. Ozainne ,
F. Raeli ,
A. Ballouche ,
M. Rasse  and
S. Stokes
E. Huysecom
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Ecology, University of Geneva, Switzerland (Email: eric.huysecom@anthro.unige.ch)
S. Ozainne
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Ecology, University of Geneva, Switzerland (Email: eric.huysecom@anthro.unige.ch)
F. Raeli
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Ecology, University of Geneva, Switzerland (Email: eric.huysecom@anthro.unige.ch)
A. Ballouche
Affiliation:
Géophen UMR-CNRS 6554, UFR Geography, University of Caen, France
M. Rasse
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Rouen, France
S. Stokes
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Oxford, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The area of Ounjougou consists of a series of gullies cut through Upper Pleistocene and Holocene formations on the Dogon Plateau in the Sahel at the south edge of the Sahara Desert. Here the authors have chronicled a stratified sequence of human occupation from the tenth to the second millennium BC, recording natural and anthropogenic strata containing artefacts and micro- and macro- palaeoecological remains, mostly in an excellent state of preservation. They present a first synthesis of the archaeological and environmental sequence for the Holocene period, define five main occupation phases for Ounjougou, and attempt to place them within the context of West African prehistory.

Keywords

NeolithicHoloceneWest AfricaMaliDogon Plateausettlement historypalaeoenvironmentlithic industryceramicsgrinding implements
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 78 , Issue 301 , September 2004 , pp. 579 - 593
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2004

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

Andah, B.W. 1978. Excavations at Rim, Upper Volta. West African Journal of Archaeology 8: 75–138.Google Scholar
Anquandah, J. 1993. The Kintampo complex: a case study of early sedentism and food production in sub-sahelian west Africa. In: Shaw, T. Sinclair, P. Andah, B. & Okpoko, A. (eds): The archaeology of Africa: food, metals and towns. London: Routledge, 255–260.Google Scholar
Aumassip, G. 1986. Le Bas-Sahara dans la préhistoire. Paris: Eds du Cnrs.Google Scholar
Barich, B.E. 1974. La serie stratigrafica dell’uadi Ti-n-Torha. Origini 8: 7–12.Google Scholar
Breunig, P. & Wotzka, H.P.. 1991. Archäologische Forschungen im Südosten Burkina Fasos 1989/90: Vorbericht über die erste Grabungskampagne des Frankfurter Sonderforschungsbereiches 268 « Westafrikanische savanne ». Beiträge zur allgemeinen und vergleichenden Archäologie (BAVA) 11: 145–187.Google Scholar
Camps, G. 1969. Amekni: Néolithique ancien du Hoggar. Paris: Arts et métiers graphiques.Google Scholar
Chenorkian, R. 1983. Ivory Coast prehistory: recent developments. African archaeological review 1: 127–142.Google Scholar
Close, A.E. 1995. Few and far between: early ceramics in North Africa. In: Barnett, W.K. & Hoopes, J.W. (eds). The emergence of pottery. Technology and innovation in ancient societies. London: Smithsonian Institution Press, 23–38.Google Scholar
Di Lernia, S. (ed). 1999. The Uan Afuda Cave. Hunter-gatherers societies of Central Sahara. Firenze: Edizioni All’insegna del Giglio.Google Scholar
Di Lernia, S. & Cremaschi, M.. 1996. Analysis of the Pleistocene-Holocene transition in the Central Sahara. In: Pwiti, G. & Soper, R. (eds): Aspects of African archaeology. Congress of the Panafrican Assoc. for Prehistory and Related Studies 10. Harare: Univ. of Zimbabwe: 221–233.Google Scholar
Frank, T., Breunig, P. Müller-Haude, P. Neumann, K. Van Neer, K. Vogelsang, R. & Wotzka, H.-P.. 2001. The Chaîne de Gobnangou, Se Burkina Faso: archaeological, archaeobotanical, archaeozoological and geomorphological studies. BAVA 21: 127–190.Google Scholar
Garcea, E.A.A. 1997. L’exploitation du quartz dans le Sahara et le Soudan à l’Holocène. In: Bracco, J.-P. (ed): L’exploitation du quartz au Paléolithique. Préhist., anthrop. méditerranéennes 6: 317–322.Google Scholar
Gaussen, J. & Gaussen, M.. 1988. Le Tilemsi préhistorique et ses abords: Sahara et Sahel malien. Cahs du Quaternaire 11. Bordeaux: Eds du Cnrs.Google Scholar
Huysecom, E. 1996. Découverte récente d’un site stratifié holocène à Oundjougou, Mali: résultat des deux premières missions préliminaires. Nyame Akuma 46: 59–71.Google Scholar
Huysecom, E. 2002. Palaeoenvironment and human population in West Africa: an international research project in Mali. Antiquity 76: 335–336.Google Scholar
Huysecom, E., Ballouche, A. Boëda, E. Cappa, L. Cissé, L., Dembélé, A., Gallay, A. Konaté, D., Mayor, A. Ozainne, S. Raeli, F. Rasse, M. Robert, A. Robion, C. Sanogo, K. Soriano, S. Sow, O. & Stokes, S.. 2002. Cinquième campagne de recherches à Ounjougou (Mali). Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad, Jahresbericht 2001. Zürich: Tamedia: 55–113.Google Scholar
Lavachery, P. 2001. The Holocene archaeological sequence of Shum Laka rock shelter (Grassfields, Western Cameroon). African archaeological review 18: 213–248.Google Scholar
Macdonald, K.C. 1996a. The Windé Koroji Complex: evidence for the people of the eastern inland Niger Delta (2100–500 Bc). Préhistoire Anthropologie Méditerranéennes 5: 147–165.Google Scholar
Macdonald, K.C. 1996b. Tichitt-Walata and the Middle Niger: evidence for cultural contact in the second millenium Bc. In: Pwiti, G. & Soper, R. (eds): Aspects of African archaeology. Congress of the Panafrican Assoc. for Prehistory and Related Studies 10. Harare: Univ. of Zimbabwe: 429–440.Google Scholar
Macdonald, K.C. 1997. Kourounkorokale revisited: the pays Mande and the West African microlithic technocomplex. African archaeological review 14: 161–200.Google Scholar
Mayor, A., Huysecom, E. Gallay, A. & Rasse, M.. forthcoming. Population dynamics and palaeoclimate in the Dogon Country (Mali): the settlement of Ounjougou bordering the sahelian empires. Journal of Anthr. Arch.Google Scholar
Macintosh, S.K. & Macdonald, K.C. 1989. Sponge spicules in poterry: new data from Mali. Journal of Field Archaeology 16: 489–494.Google Scholar
Raeli, F. & Huysecom, (E.). 2001. Nouvelles hypothèses sur le peuplement de l’Afrique de l’Ouest au 8ème millénaire av. J.-C.: apport du gisement d’Ounjougou (Mali). In: Droz, Y. Mayor, A. Roost Vischer, L. & Thévoz, C. (eds): Partenariats Nord-Sud. Forum suisse des Africanistes 3. Münster: Lit Verlag, 305–321.Google Scholar
Raimbault, M. 1990. Pour une approche du Néolithique du Sahara malien. Trav. du Lapmo: 67–82.Google Scholar
Raimbault, M. 1996. L’impact de la dégradation climatique holocène sur les néolithiques du Sahara malien et les données du faciès sahélien de Kobadi. Préhistoire et anthropologie méditerranéennes 5: 135–146.Google Scholar
Robert, A., Soriano, S. Rasse, M. Stokes, S. & Huysecom, E.. 2003. First chrono-cultural reference framework for the West African palaeolithic: new data from Ounjougou (Dogon Country, Mali). Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 1/2: 151–169 Google Scholar
Rosenfeld, A. 1972. The microlithic industries of Rop rock-shelter. West African Journal of Archaeology 2: 75–80.Google Scholar
Roset, J.-P. 1996. La céramique des débuts de l’Holocène au Niger nord-oriental: nouvelles datations, bilan des recherches. In: Aumassip, G. Clark, J.D. & Mori, F. (eds). The prehistory of Africa. Uispp 13, section 15. Forlì: Abaco: 175–182.Google Scholar
Schär, K. 2002. Zeichen einer neuen Zeit. Ein Mahlstein aus dem 8. Jahrtausend v. Chr. aus Ounjougou (Mali) und sein interpretativer Wert für den Neolithisierungsprozess in Westafrika. Unpubl. Lizentiatsarbeit am Seminar für Ur-und Frühgeschichte des Universität Basel.Google Scholar
Shaw, T. 1985. The prehistory of West Africa. In Ayaji, J.F.A. & Crowder, M. (eds): History of West Africa 1. New York: Longman: 48–86.Google Scholar
Shaw, T. & Daniels, S.G.. 1984. Excavations at Iwo Eleru, Ondo State, Nigeria. West African Journal of Archaeology 14.Google Scholar
Smith, A.B. 1974. Preliminary report of excavation at Karkarichinkiat Nord and Karkarichinkiat Sud, Tilemsi Valley, Republic of Mali, Spring 1972. West African Journal of Archaeology 4: 33–35.Google Scholar
Szumowski, G. 1956. Vestiges archéologiques dans la région de Bandiagara. Notes africaines 69:19–23.Google Scholar
Vernet, R. 1996a. Le Sud-Ouest du Niger de la préhistoire au début de l’histoire. Niamey: Institut de recherches en sciences humaines.Google Scholar
Vernet, R. 1996b. Néolithique du Sahel: problèmes spécifiques, éléments de synthèse et exemples du Sud-Ouest nigérien. L’Anthropologie 100: 307–355.Google Scholar
Vogelsang, R. 2000. Archäologische Forschungen in der Sahel-Region Burkina Fasos – Ergebnisse der Grabungskampagnen 1994, 1995 und 1996. BAVA 20: 173–203.Google Scholar
Wotzka, H.P. & Goedicke, C.. 2001. Thermoluminescence dates on Late Stone Age and later ceramics from Tapoa Province (southeastern Burkina Faso) and Konduga (Borno, northeastern Nigeria). BAVA 21: 75–126.Google Scholar