By Thomas Biginagwa*, Stephanie Wynne-Jones**, Akinbowale Akintayo**, Daryl Stump** & Titus Ombori*
*Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
**Department of Archaeology, University of York, UK
[This contribution contains two tiled galleries of images: click on an image to open for larger images]
-
Map illustrating the areas of fieldwork in Tanzania and the distribution of sites visited. Map created by Nicolas Sagna, IFAN-UCAD. -
A limestone cave discovered in Mbeya. Image courtesy of Tom Biginagwa (UDSM)
Members of staff and postgraduate students of the Department of Archaeology, University of Dar es Salaam embarked on a groundtruthing survey of archaeological sites as part of the MAEASaM project in Iringa, Mbeya and Ruvuma regions of Tanzania. This involved validating the geographic locations of archaeological sites that have been documented from legacy data; ground-truthing the presence (or absence) of possible sites in areas where predictive modelling has predicted the highest probability of having a site; as well as ground-truthing sites that have been identified via remote sensing (Google Earth Survey). In addition, to further locate these sites, community mapping and oral interviews were carried out during the fieldwork (see map above).
Prior to the fieldwork, the survey team had an opportunity to attend both virtual and physical training organised by project members from the University of York. The training focused on the use of KoBoCollect for conducting field data collection as well as techniques used for transect surveys. The location of some known sites was pre-loaded on tablets before going to the field.
In Iringa region, nine sites from the Nzihi, Ulanda, Isakalilo, Mwitivila and Mkwawa wards were visited and information about them was documented. In Mbeya region, three districts of Busokelo, Kyela and Mbarali were surveyed, where ten new Middle Stone Age, Later Stone Age and Historical sites were discovered. Lastly, in Ruvuma region, two distrcts (Mbinga and Nyasa) were surveyed, and three new sites were documented in Lundo ward.
One of the challenges encountered during the fieldwork was that most of the sites are located on high elevations and physical strength was required to access them. For example, it took the team over two hours to climb the Mtwivila, Kibebe, and Mkwawa hills in the Iringa region. However, we were undaunted and able to navigate past the challenges in most cases.