430 Kevin C. MacDonald Figure 1 <strong>of</strong> sites. \ \ I I, b. ,. I " , I , , , , I I ... ... ... , KEY Mauritania Ndondl To •• ok.1 }b. b. Map <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Merna region showing principal geomorphological features <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> distribution - - -- I I I I I I I b. I I Ill. o J * Nampala b. Kobadl • , __ ,I Limits <strong>of</strong> Holocene Floodplain Palaeochannels Escarpment Modern Ponding Areas o Kollma & Central Basin * Toladl' , . , , F ossil Dunes Pr incipal Facies by Site • o * Kobadi Faita 10 km Beretouma Goudlodle Ndond i Tossoke I No Predominant Assemblage Modern Villages .. .", - --
<strong>Tichitt</strong>-<strong>Walata</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Middle</strong> <strong>Niger</strong>: evidence for cultural contact in <strong>the</strong> second millennium Be 431 were large tell sites, with only one fur<strong>the</strong>r 'Neolithic' site, that <strong>of</strong> Tiabel Goudiodie, being discovered. Raimbault has since returned to <strong>the</strong> Merna to excavate at Kobadi (Raimbault et al. 1987; Raimbault <strong>and</strong> Dutour 1989). The 1989 <strong>and</strong> 1990 Merna Survey In <strong>the</strong> winter <strong>of</strong> 1989/1990 a systematic survey <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Merna region was carried out by T. Togola <strong>and</strong> myself. The purpose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mission was to establish a cultural chronology for <strong>the</strong> region, particularly with a view to studying changes in site distribution <strong>and</strong> environmental change over time. After <strong>the</strong> survey, several sites were selected for test excavations to allow <strong>the</strong> chronological placement <strong>of</strong> surface materials. In total 137 archaeological sites were visited, surface collected, <strong>and</strong> plotted on aerial photos during our survey. The work <strong>of</strong> Togola was presented as his doctoral <strong>the</strong>sis (Togola 1993), while my work on <strong>the</strong> project formed a portion <strong>of</strong> my own (MacDonald 1994). Until <strong>the</strong> present decade, occupation sites pre-dating <strong>the</strong> advent <strong>of</strong> metallurgy were a rarity in <strong>the</strong> vicinity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> modern delta . Indeed, no vestiges <strong>of</strong>\human occupation from before 200 cal BC are yet known from <strong>the</strong> interior <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> modern Inl<strong>and</strong> <strong>Niger</strong> Delta itself, a phenomenon attributed tentatively to alluviation <strong>and</strong>/or to highly seasonal settlements before this time (R.J. McIntosh 1983). Remarkably, <strong>the</strong> Merna survey succeeded in locating 28 sites belonging to what has conventionally been termed <strong>the</strong> 'LSA' or 'Neolithic' . Four distinCt ceramic facies were identified at <strong>the</strong>se 28 sites, representing two broad cultural traditions. Each facies was named after a type assemblage most clearly representing all <strong>of</strong> its facets (Kobadi, Beretouma, Ndondi Tossokel <strong>and</strong> Faita). It should be stressed, however, that although assemblages were invariably dominated by a single set <strong>of</strong> wares, materials attributable to o<strong>the</strong>r facies were usually also represented in <strong>the</strong>m. Test excavation <strong>and</strong> surface associations indicate that three <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se facies were at least partially contemporaneous, whilst <strong>the</strong> fourth (Faita facies) represents a later phase in <strong>the</strong> region's occupation (ca. 800BC - AD 200). The three contemporary facies would appear to date to between 2000 <strong>and</strong> 800 Be on <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> an admittedly small suite <strong>of</strong> eight radiocarbon dates from three sites (MacDonald 1994, MacDonald <strong>and</strong> Van Neet 1994). For <strong>the</strong> purposes <strong>of</strong> this paper we will limit discussion to this period. Kobadi facies, Kobadi tradition (Fig. 2) First characterised by Mauny (1972), Kobadi ceramics are characterised by thick-walled, open <strong>and</strong> restricted simple-rimmed vessels <strong>of</strong> a usually globular shape. The internal rim diameters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se vessels usually range from 28 to 40 cm. They are decorated principally with pivoting stylus <strong>and</strong> pivoted, dragged or rocked comb (24- 60% <strong>of</strong> motif occurrences). O<strong>the</strong>r important means <strong>of</strong> decor include: twine impression (usually along <strong>the</strong> rim), braided twine roulettes (cf. Hurley 1979; types 210-212), twisted twine roulettes (cf. Soper 1985: 36), fabric impression (cf. Bedaux <strong>and</strong> Lange 1983) <strong>and</strong> incised or complex punctate decors <strong>of</strong>ten rendered in 'wavy' patterns (cf. Fig. 2.c-d). Temper is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most distinctive elements <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Kobadi Tradition. Sponge spicules <strong>and</strong> coarse s<strong>and</strong> were virtually <strong>the</strong> only tempers utilised in Kobadi wares. There is an increasing literature concerning sponge spiCUle temper in African pottery (cf. Brissaud <strong>and</strong> Houdayer 1986; Adamson et al. 1987; McIntosh <strong>and</strong> MacDonald 1989). In <strong>the</strong> Merna, we are dealing with high content samples which contain spicules only (no gemmules or gemulscleres), almost certainly indicative <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> genus Potamolipis (a freshwater sponge, indigenous throughout <strong>the</strong> <strong>Niger</strong> River system) (McIntosh <strong>and</strong> MacDonald 1989). Spicule content, measured by thin-section point counts, in samples from Kobadi <strong>and</strong> Tiabel Goudiodie, may be placed at 18 to 25% <strong>of</strong> content (200 point samples). This measure far exceeds that for known <strong>Middle</strong> <strong>Niger</strong> pottery <strong>of</strong> later periods. Such quantities would
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