The archaeology of the Sesse Islands and their contribution to the understanding of Great Lakes ceramics
The Sesse Islands within the north-eastern sector of Lake Victoria are of particular interest due to their role as a centre of cult practices as recounted in multiple oral and historic traditions. Their interactions with the mainland may be examined through archaeological remains on the islands and the surrounding lakeshore, with ceramics forming the main corpus of material data. Yet despite this privileged social role there has been a lack of any substantive research except on the largest island, with the mainland lakeshore being subject to extensive ceramic analysis in recent decades. Previous archaeological research in the Great Lakes region of East Africa has been heavily reliant on ceramic chronologies derived from a 'type-variety' method of analysis. It is argued here that this approach is flawed, and that a more replicable and comparative method is required. With successful applications elsewhere on the continent, 'attribute-based' analysis meets such criteria. The Sesse archipelago offers a forum of new ceramic information through which to test applications of this new approach to pottery analysis. Field research for this thesis took place on three of the islands and has identified a number of ceramic-rich
Amin, S. L.
The archaeology of the Sesse Islands and their contribution to the understanding of Great Lakes ceramics. The Sesse Islands within the north-eastern sector of Lake Victoria are of particular interest due to their role as a centre of cult practices as recounted in multiple oral and historic traditions. Their interactions with the mainland may be examined through archaeological remains on the islands and the surrounding lakeshore, with ceramics forming the main corpus of material data. Yet despite this privileged social role there has been a lack of any substantive research except on the largest island, with the mainland lakeshore being subject to extensive ceramic analysis in recent decades. Previous archaeological research in the Great Lakes region of East Africa has been heavily reliant on ceramic chronologies derived from a 'type-variety' method of analysis. It is argued here that this approach is flawed, and that a more replicable and comparative method is required. With successful applications elsewhere on the continent, 'attribute-based' analysis meets such criteria. The Sesse archipelago offers a forum of new ceramic information through which to test applications of this new approach to pottery analysis. Field research for this thesis took place on three of the islands and has identified a number of ceramic-rich
archaeology islands great ceramic islands within north_eastern sector lake particular_interest due role centre cult_practice recount multiple oral historic tradition interaction mainland may examine archaeological_remains island surround ceramic form main corpus material data yet_despite privilege social_role lack substantive except large island_mainland subject extensive ceramic_analysis previous archaeological great region east_africa heavily reliant ceramic chronology derive type variety_method analysis argue flaw comparative_method require successful application elsewhere continent attribute based_analysis meet criteria archipelago offer forum new ceramic information test application new pottery analysis field take_place island identified number ceramic rich