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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Oil Palm and Prehistoric Subsistence in Tropical Africa
Authors:D'Andrea, A. Catherine
Logan, Amanda L.
Watson, Derek J.ISNI
Year:2006
Periodical:Journal of African Archaeology
Volume:4
Issue:2
Pages:195-222
Language:English
Geographic term:Ghana
Subjects:Stone Age
archaeology
palm kernels
Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
Anthropology and Archaeology
Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment
External link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/43135404
Abstract:This study reports on the analysis of macrobotanical remains recovered at three of the B-sites rock shelters in central Ghana (B4C, B5C, B6B), which were excavated under the auspices of the Kintampo Archaeological Research Project (KARP). These rock shelters yielded large quantities of Kintampo (3600-3200 BP) material culture as well as pottery attributed to the Punpun. Both Kintampo and Punpun are West African ceramic Late Stone Age cultural traditions. The overall aims of the study are to further the understanding of prehistoric subsistence in tropical West Africa and to address some outstanding issues relating to the economic role of oil palms through the study of macrobotanical remains. Although palynological evidence indicates a substantial rise in oil palm pollen during the Late Holocene, various interpretations of this increase have been proposed. To date, sampling and analysis of macrobotanical remains have not been designed to investigate the nature of oil palm utilization during this period. The authors argue that simple archaeobotanical quantification methods indicate that oil palm use during Kintampo occupations of sites B4C, B5C, and B6B and possibly other locales was significant. As such, humans should not be ruled out as agents having an impact on Late Holocene landscapes of West Africa. These and other archaeobotanical data from tropical Africa suggest that arboriculture was a component of prehistoric subsistence. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract]
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