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Rare Gabon burial cave sheds light on little known period in African history
- Mediterraneo10 7y agoInteresting that this find contains iron artifacts, so Gabon had iron-working in the 14th-century (or long-distance trade). I have traveled some of rural West Africa where life is not too different than centuries ago – no electricity, no literacy, and the only sign of modernity is the fact that people wear second-hand t-shirts, or the packages of biscuits and sardines one might find for sale. But we know that in pre-colonial West Africa there was ironworking going on, because it was used for weapons and jewelry and there was a traditional caste dedicated to it, but none of that metallurgical activity survives today. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to witness iron being worked according to the old ways, but I suppose it is easier for communities now to import that from the outside world, even if they are cash-poor.
- mmsimanga 7y agoI once toured a stone ruin site[0] where my grandmother was born. It is now a national park. They were moved out about 80-90 years ago. My oldest uncle who would be going onto 90 was actually born at the site of the ruins. There are signs of iron works there. Iron was mainly used to make arrow tips. I don't remember my gran talking about iron works. I stand to be corrected. Note to ask my dad about this. Anyway the point I am making is how life changes so drastically in a generation let alone a few centuries. [0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumbusi_National_Monument https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumbusi_National_Monument
- teruakohatu 7y agoI have never heard of that site before. Is it worth visiting? I have wanted to visit Great Zimbabwe.
- mmsimanga 7y agoGreat Zimbabwe is definitely worth visiting. It's interesting you mention Great Zimbabwe because my grandmother's people came from Great Zimbabwe and brought some of the building skills with them. To answer your question, well Bumbusi is in the Hwange National Park which is largest game reserve in Zimbabwe. Whilst the ruins might not be spectacular it's a great place to see animals in the wild. It's also on your way to the Victoria Falls if you coming from great Zimbabwe. Hope that helps.
- teruakohatu 7y agoThank you!
- noselasd 7y agoHere's a demonstration of the old iron smelting techniques from Burkina Faso: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuCnZClWwpQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuCnZClWwpQ
- Mediterraneo10 7y agoMuch thanks for this.
- carapace 7y agoWow, that's amazing.
- jacobwilliamroy 7y agoI wish they would leave those people alone. They wouldnt get away with that if they did it at Arlington cemetery. They'd be in prison.
- jacobwilliamroy 7y agoThe european colonists fucked the place so bad that now the only way to learn about the indigenous people is to desecrate their burial sites, further destroying their culture and identity. Now WE are the experts, and they're just bones in a museum basement. I think it's disgusting.
- quartzite 7y agoThat's not true. Most of the iron smelting cultures in Africa dissolved on their own without European interference.
- init 7y agoThe site is from the 14th century. Europeans came to central Africa in the 15th century when there were still many well organized kingdoms and societies there. European interference in terms of guns and the slave trade was a major part of these cultures dissolving.
- Mediterraneo10 7y agoThe GP is presumably referring to the Ghana and Mali Empires, which did arise in large part through ironworking, and then declined due to internal strife some time before European colonialism took off in the region (the former empire collapsed centuries before the Europeans arrived).
- init 7y agoI was thinking more of the kingdoms of Kongo[0] and Benin[1] that are geographically closer to present day Gabon. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Kongo#First_Kongo-Portuguese_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Kongo#First_Kongo-P... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Ashanti_wars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Ashanti_wars
- wolco 7y agoHistory has a lot to teach us. By not examining burial sites knowledge is lost. The spirits who's bodies are buried have moved on don't get stuck on form or belief that culture is static. Ignoring a culture is probably more disgusting.