The Kintampo tradition of Ghana (3600-3000 BP) as described is associated with the earliest manifestations of figurative art, personal adornment, semi-sedentary "village" settlements and food production in the Late stone Age (L.S.A) of the savannah forests of West Africa. These societies were spread through the whole of Ghana from the coast to the northern part of Ghana. They were located at Mumute, Bonoase, Boyase hill, Birimi, Ntereso, Christian village, K6, B sites, Kpiri, Buoho and Gambaga. It should however be noted that detail research have been done in only a few sites.
Before the advent of the Kintampo tradition, there was the Punpun phase (originally called Buobini) which preceded the Kintampo tradition. The Punpun phase consisted of late Stone Age (L.S.A) societies who sparsely inhabited the whole of Ghana. These societies subsisted based on hunting and gathering of food and were also mobile. Due to their mobility there is the absence of non-portable artifacts like grinding stone and the rarity of ceramics.
Table of Contents
1. ECOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE KINTAMPO TRADITION
2. PUNPUN PHASE
3. WHY KINTAMPO?
4. DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES
5. KINTAMPO CONTROVERSY
6. MUMUTE
7. BOYASI HILL
8. GAMBAGA
9. K6
10. NTERESO
11. BONOASI
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This paper examines the Kintampo tradition in Ghana, focusing on the cultural and ecological adaptations that marked a significant transition in the Late Stone Age. It aims to document evidence of early sedentism, food production, and figurative art, while exploring the ongoing scholarly debate regarding the tradition's origins and its subsequent development in West Africa.
- The emergence of early food production and domesticates in sub-Sahelian West Africa.
- Archaeological markers of the Kintampo tradition, including terracotta cigars and polished stone tools.
- The debate concerning indigenous innovation versus external diffusion as drivers of cultural change.
- Site-specific evidence of settlement patterns and socio-economic activities.
- The significance of early figurative arts and personal adornment in Kintampo society.
Excerpt from the Book
WHY KINTAMPO?
The name “Kintampo” which is used for the tradition of earliest manifestation of figurative art, personal adornment and semi- sedentary societies was derived as a result of it being the first site this evidence of such societies were found. It was found by Oliver Davies who termed it the “Kintampo Neolithic” based on surface collections of polished stone axes, enigmatic scored stone objects which he called “terracotta cigars” and comb impressed pottery with heavy “rolled” rims. (Balfour, 1912; Kitson 1916, pp. 379-380)
The Kintampo tradition is of much importance to study because it provides the earliest evidence for decreasing residential mobility and use of domesticates in sub-Sahelian West Africa (Stahl, 1994. p 72). Although more than thirty (30) sites are known on the basis of surface remains, fewer than a dozen have been excavated (Anquandah, 1993a, pp. 256- 257).
Summary of Chapters
ECOLOGICAL ADAPTATIONS OF THE KINTAMPO TRADITION: Introduces the Kintampo tradition as a pivotal Late Stone Age development in Ghana associated with early figurative art and settled life.
PUNPUN PHASE: Describes the preceding Punpun phase, characterized by highly mobile, hunting-gathering societies lacking non-portable artifacts.
WHY KINTAMPO?: Explains the etymology of the tradition's name and emphasizes its importance in studying the shift toward residential stability.
DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES: Outlines the primary material markers of the Kintampo culture, such as terracotta cigars, stone tools, and specific ceramic styles.
KINTAMPO CONTROVERSY: Discusses the academic debate over whether the Kintampo tradition resulted from northern diffusion or indigenous West African innovation.
MUMUTE: Analyzes specific site findings including terracotta cigars and broken clay figurines indicating early artistic expressions.
BOYASI HILL: Details the discovery of unique polished arrow points and structural features with stick and thatch impressions.
GAMBAGA: Examines archaeological evidence at Gambaga, highlighting structural stone block concentrations similar to other Kintampo sites.
K6: Presents findings from K6, including animal husbandry evidence, charred botanical remains, and potential trade goods like marine shells.
NTERESO: Discusses projectile points and faunal remains that suggest diverse subsistence strategies and Saharan influences.
BONOASI: Highlights structural remains and stone figurines recovered from the site as indicators of early figurative art.
Keywords
Kintampo tradition, Late Stone Age, Ghana, terracotta cigars, sedentism, food production, archaeology, West Africa, Nyame akuma, Punpun phase, domestication, subsistence, figurative art, lithics, Holocene.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
This work provides an archaeological overview of the Kintampo tradition in Ghana, detailing its significance as an early society with emerging food production and sedentary habits.
What are the central themes of the document?
The core themes include the transition from mobile foraging to sedentary life, the development of early agriculture, and the analysis of material cultural artifacts like terracotta cigars.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to synthesize evidence from various excavated Kintampo sites to understand the ecological adaptations and socio-economic transformations that occurred in the mid-second millennium BC.
Which scientific methods are discussed?
The document relies on archaeological survey data, material characterization of artifacts (such as stone and clay analysis), and comparative studies of faunal and botanical remains.
What content is covered in the main body?
The main body systematically reviews the diagnostic features of the culture, the academic controversy regarding its origins, and detailed site reports for locations like Mumute, K6, and Ntereso.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Kintampo tradition, Late Stone Age, sedentism, domestication, and West African archaeology.
What is the significance of the "terracotta cigars"?
These unique artifacts are diagnostic markers of the Kintampo tradition; scholars have hypothesized they were used in bark cloth production or as tools for pottery making.
How does the evidence for domestication differ across sites?
While sites like K6 provide clear evidence for animal husbandry (ovicaprids) and potential crop cultivation, others are characterized primarily by lithic industries or structural remains.
- Quote paper
- Kwabena Ankoma (Author), 2012, Ecological Adaptations Of The Kintampo Tradition, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/889365
