The transition from hunting-and-gathering to agricultural production brought about unprecedented transformations in human societies. In Africa, unlike most parts of the world, people began keeping cattle before they started planting crops. Lifestyles based on animal herding continue to be important in Africa, however how, and why, these strategies spread so successfully remain poorly understood. The apparent diversity among ancient pastoralists living in southern Kenya provides a particularly good context for studying the social and economic roles of family level exchange in this process. This project will examine the formation of obsidian (volcanic glass) procurement networks by studying how it was extracted and prepared for exchange at the quarry site on Mt. Eburru. Although this research is focused on past events, the insights gained are relevant to present day issues as pastoralist societies continue to interact today in many parts of East Africa, often to the detriment of peace and human wellbeing. This research will be conducted by graduate student, Steven Goldstein under the direction of Dr. Fiona Marshall. The results will form the basis for his doctoral dissertation.
Around 2,000 years ago, herders entering Kenya from the north began using a distinct green volcanic glass from Mt. Eburru, in the Central Rift Valley, for all of their tool production. The preference for this obsidian may have led to the emergence of a regional exchange network, connecting pioneering herding families as they spread across the region. Studying how people used the Eburru quarry provides a unique opportunity to understand how such networks developed, and will help to unravel their important role in the expansion of African food production. Mr. Goldstein will use emerging techniques in 3D scanning to analyze stone tool material at the quarry, reconstructing how activities at this vital site were organized. Comparing patterns at the quarry with ancient herder settlements across southern Kenya, will provide a comprehensive understanding of how exchange operated, and how this influenced the spread of cattle herding.
This project will have broader impacts beyond the direct academic contributions. The study will involve collaborations between American and Kenyan scholars, and will include training American and Kenyan graduate students. It will also bolster teaching collections and teaching infrastructure at Washington University in St. Louis. The data produced will be used to train undergraduate research assistants in analyzing 3D data, a skillset that is increasingly important in many branches of science and engineering. Furthermore, student participation in this research will help build skills needed for scientific research. This research will also aid in public outreach, through public lectures at Washington University, the Missouri History Museum, and in ongoing programs through the St. Louis Science Center and local school districts that expose students of all ages to various aspects of science. These efforts will improve the dialogue between scientists and the public, particularly improving the understanding of anthropology and archaeology.
