Archaeology of Banda District (Ghana)

Banda District is located in West Central Ghana, just south of the Black Volta River in a savanna woodland environment.

[2] The effects of these interactions can be seen archaeologically through the presence of exotic goods and export of local materials, production of pottery and metals, as well as changes in lifestyle and subsistence patterns.

A major contributing factor to this sudden interest was due to the tales of Mansa Musa, the leader of Mali, and his travels to Mecca covered in gold.

[1] The Portuguese had a particularly large presence along the Gold Coast at this point, setting up a fort at Elmina and rapidly exploring the surrounding area.

[1] The form and decoration of pottery in these sites is very similar to that of Begho, and its well made homogeneous nature implies that a good deal of specialization was occurring.

[4] Neutron activation analysis of shards excavated from the site Kuulo Kataa show that the different clay types being used were fairly homogeneous as well, which supports the idea of local production.

[3] Much of the decoration is found on the rims of the vessels, and they are either surface treated with cord wrapped roulette or mat impressions which are then offset by grooved lines and motifs.

[3] There is also the presence of burned basin-shaped features and anvils at varying levels, indicating multiple episodes of likely seasonal use of metalworking sites.

[1] The high volume of slag found at sites such as Kuulo Kataa imply that much more was being produced than was necessary just for the people living there, and surpluses were being accumulated for trade and other activities.

[3] Among the metalworking artifacts recovered, there are several ornamental rings made of iron, tools such as tanged curved knives and blades, as well as a serpentine projectile.

Not only does this discovery demonstrate the trade connections of the time, but it also supports the idea that divination was utilized due to the mystic association of the cowrie shells.

The presence of maize phytoliths imply experimentation with New World crops, as well as pearl millet and sorghum which were successful in that they are extremely drought resistant.

Large numbers of animal bones, particularly those of mammals, show a greater reliance still on hunting and trapping methods for getting food and skins.

Many faunal remains come from difficult to hunt species, requiring a considerable degree of skill and knowledge of these animals and their environments.

It is due to this distance that the Banda District is thought to have acquired their water resources through local and regional trade networks.

Villages were set up so that houses were arranged into large connected compounds, with areas of high density in pottery and metal slag.

At this time the village was about two to three hectares in size, and has evidence of various craft activities, iron production, and farming of foods such as pearl millet and sorghum.

[3] At the site of Kuulo Kataa, there is evidence for both inter-regional and trans-Saharan trade of materials such as gold, marine shells, glass beads, and copper alloys.

Here is also where the compound arrangement of houses is found, as well as high densities of pottery and iron slag related to craft production.

[2] In Kuulo Kataa, ceramic styling is very similar to that found at a site from the same time known as Begho, showing connections among local groups in the area.

[4] Begho was another major stop in these trade routes connecting the Sahara and forest edges, and was located just north of Banda.

[5] Although Begho was divided physically, the stylistic aspects of craft such as pottery design remained consistent throughout the entire site.

[4][2] This included the Banda District, where many sites such as Makala Kataa were abandoned during times of conflict with the Asante and then resettled once the trouble subsided.

This resulted in a decreased amount of long distance trade goods found in Banda, but also a flourish in local and regional markets.

[5] Not only was there a stronger focus on regional trade, but also a greater narrowing of crafts which may indicate some loss of wealth in Banda to the Asante.

Much decoration seen during the Kuulo phase was lost, with people seeming to favor surface-treated pottery with maize cob roulette and shallow grooving for patterns.

[3] One excavation led to the discovery of a kitchen with two hearths, indicating an accommodation of the wet and dry seasons that characterized the area.

[2] Although people began to resettle villages left during conflicts with the Asante, the houses were much less sturdy, the pottery more simple and uniform in style, and the trade connections were contracted.

The system of household production of textiles remained intact despite increased demand for manufactured goods in trade networks.

[2] Later, Banda production was shifted to suit the trends and desires of European markets, and resources such as cocoa and slaves quickly became major exports.