Iron Age plant subsistence in the Inner Congo Basin (DR Congo)
نویسندگان
چکیده
Abstract Around 400 bc , pottery- and iron-producing populations immigrated into the Inner Congo Basin (ICB) subsequently spread upstream some major tributaries of River. Until recently, their subsistence was almost completely unknown. We present an archaeobotanical study three sites in ICB covering parts Early Iron Age (ca. - ad 650) Late (LIA) as well subrecent times 1300–2000). studied 82 flotated samples botanical macroremains, 68 soil phytolith samples, recovered from terra firme Iyonda Mbandaka, floodplain fishing camp site Bolondo. The EIA assemblage yielded domesticated Cenchrus americanus (pearl millet), Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), Canarium schweinfurthii Elaeis guineensis (oil palm), several wild plants, parenchyma fragments tentatively attributed to Dioscorea sp. (yams). exploitation these plants originated savannas forest-savanna ecotones West Africa. presence C. LIA contexts at Bolondo dated ca. 1350–1550, indicates that its cultivation is not dependent on a seasonal climate with distinct dry season, contrary previous views. role staple difficult assess; it might have been used for special purposes, e.g. beer brewing. In spite extensive screening, we did detect any banana phytoliths samples. Musa were only after 1400, leaving room possibility introduction spp. AAB ‘Plantain’ late phenomenon.
منابع مشابه
Forest Elephant Crisis in the Congo Basin
Debate over repealing the ivory trade ban dominates conferences of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Resolving this controversy requires accurate estimates of elephant population trends and rates of illegal killing. Most African savannah elephant populations are well known; however, the status of forest elephants, perhaps a distinct spe...
متن کاملInstantaneous dynamics of the cratonic Congo basin
[1] Understanding the formation mechanisms of cratonic basins provides an examination of the rheological, compositional and thermal properties of continental cratons. However, these mechanisms are poorly understood because there are few currently active cratonic basins. One cratonic basin thought to be active is the Congo basin located in equatorial Africa. The Congo basin is coincident with a ...
متن کاملSocial learning among Congo Basin hunter-gatherers.
This paper explores childhood social learning among Aka and Bofi hunter-gatherers in Central Africa. Existing literature suggests that hunter-gatherer social learning is primarily vertical (parent-to-child) and that teaching is rare. We use behavioural observations, open-ended and semi-structured interviews, and informal and anecdotal observations to examine the modes (e.g. vertical versus hori...
متن کاملAvoiding maternal-child death in DR Congo through infection control
Introduction / objectives In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 22 women is likely to experience infection or even death in child birth. Along with Nigeria and Ethiopia, the DRC is among the worse off. Hospital acquired infections(HAI) are a neglected and yet crucial factor in maternal mortality. Our objectives were to identify the role of HAI in the mortality observed in Lubumbashi maternal wards and to...
متن کامل[Postpartum depression in Kinshasa (DR Congo): prevalence and risk factors].
OBJECTIVE To identify the frequency, risk factors, and clinical forms of postpartum depression (PPD) in Kinshasa. METHODS In a cross-sectional study in well-baby clinics in Kinshasa in 2009, 120 mothers of 61 boys and 59 girls aged 1-10 months agreed to participate in the study. Their mean age was 28.4 ± 12.2 years. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Goldberg Scales of Anxiety and ...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
ژورنال
عنوان ژورنال: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany
سال: 2022
ISSN: ['0939-6314', '1617-6278']
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-021-00865-8