Queens, Rebels, and Gold: The Archaeology of Ancient African Politics

ANTHRO 1233 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

Well before the proliferation of historical documentation across the African continent after 9th Century CE, the archaeological record of Africa includes profound evidence of the development of sociopolitical complexity and the evolution of urbanism. This course uses archaeology to explore 5,000 years of African politics across multiple regions of the continent. We will take a deeper look at the material expression of ancient royal ideologies, made complicated by early ideas of gender and the rise of powerful queens. Then, by tracing the formation of elite classes in several regions, we will explore patterns in the concentration of political power, and also patterns in the resistance to concentrated power in various forms, including rebellion. Finally, we will explore the profound societal, economic, and geopolitical implications of the working of iron and the trade in African gold.