Divergent patterns in Indian Ocean trade to East Africa and southern Africa between the 7th and 17th centuries CE: The glass bead evidence

Glass beads form a large part of archaeological evidence attesting to Indian Ocean trade with eastern Africa between the 7th and 17th century CE, but they have generally been under-utilized by archaeologists in their efforts to understand and interpret that trade. Research in the past decade has ide...

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Main Author: Marilee Wood
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Institut des Mondes Africains
Series:Afriques
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/afriques/1782
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author Marilee Wood
author_facet Marilee Wood
author_sort Marilee Wood
collection DOAJ
description Glass beads form a large part of archaeological evidence attesting to Indian Ocean trade with eastern Africa between the 7th and 17th century CE, but they have generally been under-utilized by archaeologists in their efforts to understand and interpret that trade. Research in the past decade has identified seven bead series that were present in southern Africa during this time span, and chemical analysis has opened windows on the origins of the glasses used to make the beads. Together they facilitate the recreation of the changing trade patterns that will be explored here. In addition, the differences between the bead assemblages found on the northern and southern ends of the coast and the interior demonstrate that the two regions appear to have had different trade relations. The beads suggest that trade, or at least the trade in beads, to the south was never completely controlled by the north and at times may have been quite separate.
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spelling doaj.art-1cca64f9c85e44e985a77f06c71da8272024-02-15T12:43:19ZdeuInstitut des Mondes AfricainsAfriques2108-6796610.4000/afriques.1782Divergent patterns in Indian Ocean trade to East Africa and southern Africa between the 7th and 17th centuries CE: The glass bead evidenceMarilee WoodGlass beads form a large part of archaeological evidence attesting to Indian Ocean trade with eastern Africa between the 7th and 17th century CE, but they have generally been under-utilized by archaeologists in their efforts to understand and interpret that trade. Research in the past decade has identified seven bead series that were present in southern Africa during this time span, and chemical analysis has opened windows on the origins of the glasses used to make the beads. Together they facilitate the recreation of the changing trade patterns that will be explored here. In addition, the differences between the bead assemblages found on the northern and southern ends of the coast and the interior demonstrate that the two regions appear to have had different trade relations. The beads suggest that trade, or at least the trade in beads, to the south was never completely controlled by the north and at times may have been quite separate.https://journals.openedition.org/afriques/1782East Africaglass beadsIndian Ocean tradesouthern Africaglass chemistry
spellingShingle Marilee Wood
Divergent patterns in Indian Ocean trade to East Africa and southern Africa between the 7th and 17th centuries CE: The glass bead evidence
Afriques
East Africa
glass beads
Indian Ocean trade
southern Africa
glass chemistry
title Divergent patterns in Indian Ocean trade to East Africa and southern Africa between the 7th and 17th centuries CE: The glass bead evidence
title_full Divergent patterns in Indian Ocean trade to East Africa and southern Africa between the 7th and 17th centuries CE: The glass bead evidence
title_fullStr Divergent patterns in Indian Ocean trade to East Africa and southern Africa between the 7th and 17th centuries CE: The glass bead evidence
title_full_unstemmed Divergent patterns in Indian Ocean trade to East Africa and southern Africa between the 7th and 17th centuries CE: The glass bead evidence
title_short Divergent patterns in Indian Ocean trade to East Africa and southern Africa between the 7th and 17th centuries CE: The glass bead evidence
title_sort divergent patterns in indian ocean trade to east africa and southern africa between the 7th and 17th centuries ce the glass bead evidence
topic East Africa
glass beads
Indian Ocean trade
southern Africa
glass chemistry
url https://journals.openedition.org/afriques/1782
work_keys_str_mv AT marileewood divergentpatternsinindianoceantradetoeastafricaandsouthernafricabetweenthe7thand17thcenturiescetheglassbeadevidence