ArchéoSciences 2013/1 No 37
Article de revue

Analysis of Spatial Organization at Two Iron-Smelting Sites in Southwestern Niger

Pages 123 à 135

Citer cet article

  • GUILLON, Rodrigue,
  • PETIT, Christophe,
  • RAJOT, Jean-Louis,
  • BICHET, Vincent,
  • SEBAG, David,
  • AMADOU IDE, Oumarou
  • et GARBA, Zibo,
2013. Analysis of Spatial Organization at Two Iron-Smelting Sites in Southwestern Niger. ArchéoSciences, 2013/1 No 37, p.123-135. DOI : 10.4000/archeosciences.4015. URL : https://shs.cairn.info/journal-archeosciences-2013-1-page-123?lang=en.
  • Guillon, Rodrigue.,
  • et al.
« Analysis of Spatial Organization at Two Iron-Smelting Sites in Southwestern Niger ». ArchéoSciences, 2013/1 No 37, 2013. p.123-135. CAIRN.INFO, shs.cairn.info/journal-archeosciences-2013-1-page-123?lang=en.
  • Guillon, R.,
  • Petit, C.,
  • Rajot, J.-L.,
  • Bichet, V.,
  • Sebag, D.,
  • Amadou Ide, O.
  • et Garba, Z.
(2013). Analysis of Spatial Organization at Two Iron-Smelting Sites in Southwestern Niger. ArchéoSciences, No 37(1), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.4000/archeosciences.4015.

https://doi.org/10.4000/archeosciences.4015

Résumé
Auteur(e)s
Sur un sujet proche

Citer cet article

  • Guillon, R.,
  • Petit, C.,
  • Rajot, J.-L.,
  • Bichet, V.,
  • Sebag, D.,
  • Amadou Ide, O.
  • et Garba, Z.
(2013). Analysis of Spatial Organization at Two Iron-Smelting Sites in Southwestern Niger. ArchéoSciences, No 37(1), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.4000/archeosciences.4015.
  • Guillon, Rodrigue.,
  • et al.
« Analysis of Spatial Organization at Two Iron-Smelting Sites in Southwestern Niger ». ArchéoSciences, 2013/1 No 37, 2013. p.123-135. CAIRN.INFO, shs.cairn.info/journal-archeosciences-2013-1-page-123?lang=en.
  • GUILLON, Rodrigue,
  • PETIT, Christophe,
  • RAJOT, Jean-Louis,
  • BICHET, Vincent,
  • SEBAG, David,
  • AMADOU IDE, Oumarou
  • et GARBA, Zibo,
2013. Analysis of Spatial Organization at Two Iron-Smelting Sites in Southwestern Niger. ArchéoSciences, 2013/1 No 37, p.123-135. DOI : 10.4000/archeosciences.4015. URL : https://shs.cairn.info/journal-archeosciences-2013-1-page-123?lang=en.

https://doi.org/10.4000/archeosciences.4015

Français
English

In southwestern Niger, single-use furnaces were identified during archaeological prospecting. An exhaustive inventory of 4,504 bloomery furnaces from Saga Gorou, near Niamey, allowed us to propose a spatial analysis of the catchment area of 32 km², representing the Sahelian landscape. The smelting sites of Bilfouda and Garbel have the highest concentrations of bloomery furnaces; each was mapped accurately from low-altitude aerial photographs. Six radiocarbon dates were obtained, ranging from the 4th to the 9th century. A spatial analysis with a series of mathematical tools (Ward’s method, k-means and minimum spanning tree) showed an organization of locations where groups had established bloomery furnaces. Four levels from local to global were identified: battery, cluster, site, and complex. Each was defined by a number of bloomery furnaces, an area, an operating time and control of production parameters. In a battery, bloomery furnaces can be arranged in a horseshoe shape or in a more-or-less-straight line. This organization of bloomery furnaces could be linked to the sociocultural context and reflects good workspace management.

Keywords

  • Africa
  • bloomery furnaces
  • iron smelting
  • Sahel
  • spatial organization
  • workspace
  • 1st millennium AD

Mots-clés éditeurs : 1st millennium AD, Africa, bloomery furnaces, iron smelting, Sahel, spatial organization, workspace

Date de mise en ligne : 16/05/2013

https://doi.org/10.4000/archeosciences.4015