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This book presents the results of archaeological research in the
extreme south of Madagascar between 1991 and 2003, and provides a
synthesis of the regions archaeology. Madagascar is an island with
many unique species of fauna and flora; its extreme south is a
semi-arid region with remarkable vegetational adaptations. The
project began as an ethnoarchaeological and ethnohistorical study
of the origins and development of the monumental stone tombs which
are built throughout the south, but expanded into a far wider
archaeological study. The contributors trace the phases of the
region's history from the first human colonisation and the
extinction of much of the island's megafauna to the growth and
collapse of the Manda civilization, contact with Europeans and
right up to the present day.
The first in the book series Studies in the African Past was
published in 2001, consisting of reports produced by the
archaeology research project, 'Human Responses and Contribution to
Environmental Change'. The new research initiative developed out of
this project is known as the 'African Archaeology Network'. This is
investigating how ancient African societies exploited resources,
developed settlements and established long-distance trade networks.
A pan-African project, it aims to develop new models to understand
how ancient communities adjusted and responded to political and
environmental upheavals; and to demonstrate the potential for more
research in the different areas of African archaeology.
On the northeast coast of Madagascar, near the town of Vohémar, is
a large cemetery dating to the fourteenth century. During World War
II, French troops excavated the site but left no comprehensive
report. University of Michigan archaeologist Henry T. Wright led an
intensive archaeological survey in the region, hoping to find
evidence of earlier settlements. In four seasons, the researchers
found evidence of several settlements dating to different periods:
a large port site dating to the same era as the cemetery; early
estuarine villages of the 7th and 8th centuries; and a rock shelter
with microlithic tools. In this study, Wright presents the survey
results in detail, including the evidence for settlements as well
as illustrations of the ceramics and stone tools.
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