First millennium villages and early Indian Ocean trade in northeast South Africa

 

Xander Antonites

 

Department of Anthropology, Archaeology & Development Studies, University of Pretoria

 

 The communities that inhabited the Letaba region in northeastern South Africa during the first millennium AD have, until now, been typecast as transitory and socially and economically marginal. However, new research underscores the need to revisit these notions. The area is now recognized for having some of the earliest glass trade beads in the southern African interior, as well as imported ceramics originating from the Persian Gulf. These co-occur with evidence of intensive big game hunting, copper and iron smelting and smithing, and a rapid population increase. This talk will share the findings from current research and discuss its significance for understanding the early trade dynamics in southern Africa during the late first millennium.

 

We hope to see you there!