Survey

The Southeast and the Southwest surveys 1997

After an absence of about 10 years archaeological research activites were resumed in Central Africa in 1997. Two main regions were examined closely: On the one hand, Eggert wanted to continue where he had to abandon the river reconnaissance of the Ngoko and Dja rivers in 1987 in the Southeast, and on the other hand the early settling of the Atlantic coast, on the estuary of the Sanaga, the largest cameroonian river, was to be archaeologically explored. In this survey a large body of ceramic material, mainly surface finds, was found(Fig. 1). The Sanaga prospection (Fig. 2) adduced to the discovery of several ceramic-yielding features in Mouanko, as well as in the further upstream located site of Yatou. Epolo, the ‘port’ and marketplace of Mouanko also yielded a ceramic complex, with which a folded ironsheet could be associated (Fig. 3). On the basis of a radiocarbon dating it can be placed in the second to third century AC.

Fig. 1: Ceramic vessels from Lobethal (all drawings are displayed without scale to avoid illegal copying; drawing A. Frey).

Fig. 2: Prospection at the Sanaga river.

The Southwest - Survey 2004

Fig. 4: In 2004 prospected ways and area.

Alike 1997, this reconnaissance was mainly based on the survey of the rainforest by means of cars along the roads. Overall 3000 km were covered to discover traces of human settlement in the region. Therefore road embankments, surfaces without vegetation or rivers with eroded banks were optimally suited, since the archaeological features, such as pits and layers, can be easily discerned from the surrounding soil by their darker fill. Five sites attracted our attention by their finds and features: Kribi/Town Centre, Bwambe Beach und Bwambé-Sommet, Akonetyé and Campo. Two of the here mentioned sites, Akonetyé und Bwambe Sommet, were excavated in the following field season in 2004/05, Campo in 2007.

Bwambé-Sommet (BWS 04)

This complex of several pits was discovered on a construction site of the town Kribi, district Bwambé. At least 30 pits, with a diameter of up to 3 m, are distributed over the site (Fig. 5). The surface of the features are eroded by the effects of weather, mainly rain, and contrast strongly through colour and an accumulation of artefacts with the surrounding soil (Fig. 6).

Fig. 5: Overview of the features in Bwambé-Sommet (excavation 2005).

Fig. 6: Artefacts and soil of an eroded pit in Bwambé-Sommet.

Bwambé Beach (BWB 04)

The site is situated about 200 m from the Atlantic on a construction site of the twon Kribi, district Bwambé. In a slope decending to a small stream a profile displayed that several phases could be located in the feature. Flat bases, often associated with decoration of stamping, comb-stamping and horizontal bands were found. With comb-stamping decoratd rims are particularly interesting. A large amount of ceramic finds with a multitude of decorations and ceramics shapes could be located on the surface on which the profile was bordering. (Fig. 8, Fig. 9).

Fig. 7: Layers (left) and redrawing of the features BWB 04.

Fig. 8: Search for ceramic fragments on the surface near BWB 04.

Fig. 9: selection of ceramic fragments from Bwambé Beach (all drawings are displayed without scale to avoid illegal copying; drawing A. Frey).

Akonétye (AKO 04)

The site has been discovered by Richard Oslisly and Pascal Nlend Nlend during the construction of the Transafrica road, near Ambam in the south of Cameroon. A reconnaissance in 2004 yielded four features, which should be excavated in 2005 (Fig. 10). A particular interest were the ceramics of the different features which appeared to be quite homogeneous and strongly decorated (Fig. 11).

Fig. 10: Features in the road embankment of Akonétye.

Fig. 11: In 2005 excavated ceramics from Akonétye (all drawings are displayed without scale to avoid illegal copying; drawing A. Frey).

Abb. 11 entnommen aus Eggert et al. 2006

Campo (CAM 04)

A short stay at the southwesternmost point of Cameroon, clearly demonstrated the archaeological potential of the sites in Campo. Within a few hour, two archaeological sites could be discovered at Campo Kirche (Eglise - Fig. 12) and Campo Lycée. Both sites were already known (discovered by R. Oslisly and C. Mbida), partly excavated and then unpublished. The finds consist of several whole vessels, in shape and decoration similar to those of Lobethal / Yatou (Fig. 13; see also Oslisly 2006).

Fig. 12: Driveway to the church (église).

Fig. 13: Ceramic vessel in the surface (excavation 2007).

Southeast-reconnaissance 2005

In the course of the campaign of 2004-2005 we effected another survey into the southeastern part of Cameroon, with the aim of locating features on the Ngoko, a tributary of the Congo river. Unfortunately we were not able to find any features suitable for a later excavation, as the riverbank were mostly covered by thick vegetation (Fig. 14). Nonetheless could our group discover two archaeological sites in the Lobékè national park. Both, Ndangayé und Boulou, involve several features formed by contrations of ceramics in layers. Interestingly enough are both sites situated on the fringes of so called "savannas" within the rainforest (Fig. 15). In these areas without tree cover, salt-containing groundwater occurs on the surface. The ceramics are often thick-based, rarely decorated and crudely executed, which might have been used for seething the salt from the groundwater for extraction (Fig. 16). Radiocarbon dating indicates to an age of about 1000 BP.

Fig. 14: River reconnaissance on the Ngoko.

Fig. 15: Savanna close to Boulou in the southeast of Cameroon.

Fig. 16: Ceramics from Ndangayé und Boulou (all drawings are displayed without scale to avoid illegal copying; drawing A. Frey).

Survey Ambam 2005

During the scope of the excavations at Akonétye we effected a short survey of the environs of Ambam in 2005. Two sites on the Transafricana,Minyin (Fig. 17) and Abang Minko'o (Fig. 18) were of special interest to us as they displayed a large number of features with intriguing finds. An excavation in 2006 would demonstrate this impressively.

Fig. 17: View of the unexcavated feature MIY 06/1.

The East, Bertoua and environs - Survey 2007

In January 2007 we effected a prospection of the East of Cameroon. Here, our goal was to detect features in the region of the here prevailing rainforest-savanna-mosaic. Moreover, we wanted to examine, whether the finds, particularly the ceramics, resemble those of the South typologically. For that reason the adjacence of Bertoua was closely scrutinized (Fig. 19).

In a first part we queried the local inhabitants whether they had any knowledge of archaeological sites nearby. Additonally we collected archaeological finds from the surface, to expand our basis knowledge of the ceramics of the region.

In the second part of the survey, we concentrated on examining the road between Bertoua and Letta (direction Garoua Boulai), for any archaeological features and finds. We utilized the already tried and tested system, walking and driving along freshly cut road embankbanks, taking GPS-coordinates and samples for radiocarbon dating.

Altogehter the reconnaissance was very successful, since we found several features in different villages along the route (Fig. 20). Predominantly pit structures, but also stone axes and cultural layers were discovered (Fig. 21). Further results are not available at the moment, but are expected to arrive shortly.