Archaeology of Pemba Island

Pemba Island is a small island off the coast of Tanzania. Inhabited since 600 AD the island has a trading, agricultural, and religious history that has contributed to the studies of the Swahili trade throughout the Indian Ocean.

The first evidence of inhabitation is in the 7th century AD at a site called Tumbe on the northern end of the island.^[1] Towns continued to be founded around the island after Tumbe and agricultural and ceramic artifacts show the people were farmers.

600-1000 A.D.

The main site on the island between 600-1000 A.D. was the city of Tumbe. There is ample evidence that this city was a trading center in the Indian Ocean. Clustered around the main city were smaller sites dating to the 8th to 10th centuries A.D.^[1] The archaeobotanical evidence from Tumbe and the surrounding areas point to an agriculture system focused on pearl millet. Rice, legumes, coconut and other tree nuts were found to have been important contributors to the agricultural economy.^[2]

Ceramics were an important part of the society at Tumbe. The pottery found at Tumbe is part of the Early Tana Tradition (ETT). This pottery tradition is decorated with triangles and intersecting lines. This tradition is also found in southern Tanzania, northern Kenya, southern Mozambique and the Lamu Archipelago. This connects Pemba Island with civilizations all along the East African coast. The ceramics from Tumbe are also notable in the types of vessels that were found. Many of the ceramics that have been found are necked jars with graphite decoration.^[1]

1000-1300 A.D.

After the apparent abandonment of Tumbe, the city of Chwaka was established just south of Tumbe. Archaeological surveys show that the stonetown of Chwaka started as a small village and grew into a large, densely populated town. The patterns of population show that while Chwaka grew, the surrounding areas became less populated suggesting a movement of people from the countryside into towns.^[3] The town contained large mosques, elite homes, and tombs.

Other towns throughout the island were established at this time as well. Mkia wa Ngombe and Mduuni were established around the same time as Chwaka. Mkia wa Ngombe was a town of similar size to Chwaka and had mosques and elite homes as Chwaka did. Mkia wa Ngombe has some of the most extensive ruins on the Island. Mduuni was a smaller town among a set of eight others of similar size and composition around the island.

Influence of Islam

Throughout the Swahili coast many people converted to Islam throughout the first millennium A.D.^[3] The speed of this religious conversion has been thought to be the result of the building of trade relations with Muslim merchants. This center of religion in the towns may have been a large factor for the movement of the populous from rural areas to the towns. The large efforts to build the four mosques at Chwaka show the dedication to religion. The possible enticement of a cohesive religious community may have made towns like Chwaka ideal.^[3]

References