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An archaeological study of farming communities on the Northern Shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda

Thesis (PhD (Archaeology))--University of Pretoria, 2021.

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Other Authors: Ashley, Ceri
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2021
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Ashley, Ceri
author_browse Ashley, Ceri
author_facet Ashley, Ceri
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD (Archaeology))--University of Pretoria, 2021.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:41.715Z
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provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/83092 An archaeological study of farming communities on the Northern Shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda Ashley, Ceri rtibesasa@kab.ac.ug Tibesasa, Ruth UCTD Early iron age Late stone age Kanysore Urewe Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda Thesis (PhD (Archaeology))--University of Pretoria, 2021. The goal of this study was to explore the archaeology of farming communities on the northern shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda. The study explored the process of transition to farming, and the settlement history and subsistence structures of communities of both the Late Stone Age (LSA) and the Early Iron Age (EIA). Further, the study explored the LSA–EIA relationship and compared the archaeology of the northern shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza with the archaeology, as it is widely understood, of the lake’s eastern and western shores. The study used survey, excavation, flotation, and dating methods to collect data from the Busia and Namayingo districts. It also performed ceramics, lithics, bone point, stable isotope, osteoarchaeological, faunal, and botanical analyses. The study identified 24 new archaeological sites of which five were excavated—three were Kansyore LSA sites, one was an LSA–EIA site, and one was a Late Iron Age (LIA) site. Well-preserved LSA and EIA burials dating from 6634 to 6479 BC and from AD 339 to 437 were excavated systematically for the very first time in Uganda. Further, the study identified a new Kansyore phase, namely, the Middle Kansyore phase, dating from 3465 to 3495 BC. This study was the first of its kind to confirm the presence of ceramic hunter-gatherers and EIA farmers in the study area and to indicate that there was no evidence of contact between the Kansyore LSA communities and the later EIA communities. Further, the study offered insights into the lifeways of each group and clearly indicated that the transition to farming resulted from a combination of factors such as population movements and the environment. The outcomes of this study contributed directly to the big debate on the regional and global understanding of the transition to farming. The study concluded that the northern shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza had been occupied by Pre-ceramic hunter-gatherers, Kansyore LSA and EIA to LIA farming communities who had had no contact with their predecessors. Although information on this area has the potential to provide answers to many future questions about the lifeways of past communities, this potential may be thwarted by the activities of harvesters who operate in the area and depend on the harvesting of sand and shells to make a living. This study recommends that the government should emphasise the importance of cultural impact assessments to be conducted by companies involved in mining or any other development that is likely to hinder the survival of cultural sites. This study had to make use of purposive survey approaches because of limited funds and time, as a result of which most of the sites in the area under study remained unknown archaeologically; therefore, future researchers should conduct surveys in this area. Finally, sensitisation of the locals about the importance of preserving their culture and heritage should be part and parcel of every future project to avoid site destruction by local people. Anthropology and Archaeology PhD (Archaeology) Unrestricted 2021-12-20T12:30:59Z 2021-12-20T12:30:59Z 2022 2021 Thesis * A2022 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83092 en © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Early iron age
Late stone age
Kanysore
Urewe
Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda
An archaeological study of farming communities on the Northern Shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda
title An archaeological study of farming communities on the Northern Shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda
title_full An archaeological study of farming communities on the Northern Shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda
title_fullStr An archaeological study of farming communities on the Northern Shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda
title_full_unstemmed An archaeological study of farming communities on the Northern Shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda
title_short An archaeological study of farming communities on the Northern Shores of Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda
title_sort archaeological study of farming communities on the northern shores of lake victoria nyanza uganda
topic UCTD
Early iron age
Late stone age
Kanysore
Urewe
Lake Victoria Nyanza, Uganda
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83092