Territories, fortresses, and shifting towns : archaeological landscapes of the Upper Casamance (Senegal), 7th-19th C
The Upper Casamance, in southern Senegal, is a region that has witnessed dramatic socio-political changes in the last millennium, including its conquest by the Mali Empire and its prominent role in the Atlantic trade. Yet, until now this region had never been the object of systematic archaeological study. Two seasons of feldwork undertaken in 2013 revealed a landscape of shallow, short-lived sites at odds with the large permanent towns described by historical accounts and oral traditions. I argue in this thesis that the key to reconciling these two sets of evidence lies in a very particular settlement pattern, which I have named 'shifting sedentism', by which villages and towns regularly shifted a few hundred meters, while keeping the name, identity, and institutions of the community intact. Drawing from archaeological data derived from regional survey and the excavation of two sites (Payoungou and Korop), combined with oral traditions, historical documents, and ethnographic examples, this thesis pursues two main themes. First, it documents the previously unexplored archaeological record of the region, both in terms of sites and of material culture, connecting it with known historical narratives, and comparing
Canos Donnay, S.
Territories, fortresses, and shifting towns : archaeological landscapes of the Upper Casamance (Senegal), 7th-19th C. The Upper Casamance, in southern Senegal, is a region that has witnessed dramatic socio-political changes in the last millennium, including its conquest by the Mali Empire and its prominent role in the Atlantic trade. Yet, until now this region had never been the object of systematic archaeological study. Two seasons of feldwork undertaken in 2013 revealed a landscape of shallow, short-lived sites at odds with the large permanent towns described by historical accounts and oral traditions. I argue in this thesis that the key to reconciling these two sets of evidence lies in a very particular settlement pattern, which I have named 'shifting sedentism', by which villages and towns regularly shifted a few hundred meters, while keeping the name, identity, and institutions of the community intact. Drawing from archaeological data derived from regional survey and the excavation of two sites (Payoungou and Korop), combined with oral traditions, historical documents, and ethnographic examples, this thesis pursues two main themes. First, it documents the previously unexplored archaeological record of the region, both in terms of sites and of material culture, connecting it with known historical narratives, and comparing
fortress shift town archaeological_landscape upper upper southern region witness dramatic socio_political change include conquest mali empire prominent_role atlantic trade yet region never object systematic archaeological_study season undertaken reveal landscape shallow short_lived site odds large permanent town describe historical_account oral_tradition argue key reconcile two_set evidence lie particular settlement_pattern name shifting sedentism village towns regularly shift hundred keep name identity institution community intact drawing archaeological_data derive regional_survey excavation two_site combine oral_tradition historical_document ethnographic example pursues two_main theme first document previously unexplored archaeological_record region term sit material_culture connect know historical_narrative compare