A Comparative Study Of Faunal Assemblages From Selected Pastoral Neolithic Sites In Kenya

Abstract

This submission concerns a comparative study of the faunal assemblages from selected Pastoral Neolithic sites in Kenya. The sites are, Dongodien (GaJi4), Prolonged Drift (GrJil), Maasai Gorge Rockshelter (GsJi25), Ngamuriak (GuJf6) and Gogo Falls (GtJbl). The study observes in Chapter One that whereas considerable comparative studies have been done on lithic and pottery characteristics at different sites in Kenya, little has hitherto been done on the faunal assemblages. The writer's objective, therefore, is to compare subsistence patterns and other cultural behaviours of the past inhabitants of the selected sites as these are reflected in the faunal remains In this regard, it is hypothesised in Chapter One that site specific patterns of faunal remains reflect differences in subsistence and other cultural behaviours among Kenyan Pastoral Neolithic sites. Chapter Two provides background information for the sites under study. This information is comprised of the geographical, environmental, dating -and cultural context of the sites. Specific and distinct characteristics of the sites as provided in this chapter are referred to and used in explaining certain differences and similarities between the sites in the succeeding chapters. Chapter Three provides faunal data from the sites. These data are presented at four levels. These are, the methods of analysis used by the original analysts, the composition and taxonomic abundance, the age mortality profiles and the cultural modification of the bones. It is preliminarily observed in this chapter that differences and similarities in the faunal assemblages exist between the sites. This observation is discussed in greater detail in chapter four'. Chapter Four, though primarily oriented to a comparative exercise of the faunal assemblages, also provides a section on the guidelines that the writer has used in the comparisons. In this chapter as well, a section on 'problem areas' where hindrances that are foreseen to deter a successful comparative exercise of the faunal assemblages is presented. How these hindrances are tackled is also discussed. The chapter proceeds to compare the sites with regard to the size of the samples recovered, the proportion of identified and non-identified specimens, hunting and wild taxonomic abundance, herding and domestic stock abundance, fishing, and butchery and meat processing patterns as all these are reflected in the faunal samples. In this effort, attempts are made to account for the differences and similarities that exist between the sites in relation to the above flamed aspects. It is observed that Gogo Falls and Dongodien are more ~imilar to each other on one hand whereas Maasai Gorge Rockshelter and Ngamuriak are similar in most aspects on the other hand. Prolonged Drift is distinct from the rest of the sites in some aspects and similar in most other aspects to Gogo Falls and Dongodien. In one aspect, Prolonged Drift is also similar to Ngamuriak and Maasai Gorge Rockshelter. Chapter Five consists of' summarised section on content.s and findings discussed In the preceeding chapters. Specific conclusions and assessment of the hypothesis are also presented in this final Chapter. The study sustains the hypothesis set out in Chapter One that sjte specific patterns of the faunal remains , reflect differences in subsistence patterns and other cultural behaviours among Kenyan Pastoral Neolithic sites. This is supported by the differences between the sites observed in Chapter Four. It is noted that these differences determine a possible categorizati of the sites into two major groups on the basis of differences in subsistence patterns and other cultural behaviours that are reflected in the faunal assemblages. Group I is comprised of Gogo Falls, Dongodien and Prolonged Drift. These are further sub-divided into Group Ia and lb. Group Ia is comprised of Gogo Falls and Dongodien. These two are similar to each other in most aspects, among them, the presence of fish fauna and more reliance on wild species than domestic stock. Group Ib represents Prolonged Drift which though similar to Group Ia in most aspects, does not show more reliance on sheep/goats as infered from data on domestic stock at the site. Group II is comprised of Ngamuriak and Maasai Gorge Rockshelter which are-similar to each other in most aspects, among them, the absence of fish fauna and more reliance on domestic stock than wild species for subsistence