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Jenné-Jeno, literally translated to ancient Jenne, is an archaeological site in the inland Niger River Delta just 3 kilometers away from the modern city of Jenné[1]. Through excavations and historical accounts, much has been learned about this former city's subsistence patterns, material culture and its vast trade networks making it one of the greatest city-centers at its height.
Through archaeological excavations done by Susan and Roderick J. Macintosh, the site has been divided into three main phases of occupation. Phase I lasted from around 250 B.C. to A.D. 50 and is one of the earliest dates for Iron Age industry in sub-Saharan Africa [2]. This initial phase is not associated with the Later Stone Age, and there has never been an occupation of this sort at the site. Faunal remains at the site have included catfish and Nile perch but mostly cow, leading to the assumption that this first phase might be associated with Hunter-Gatherer or Pastoral modes of subsistence. During this period there is no evidence for rice production, however it is believed that these people might haves been rice producers, even though no definitive evidence has been discovered yet [2]. Phase II is defined by a larger population and definitive evidence for the mass production of rice [2]. we also see the borders of the site expand during this period (possibly covering 100,000 square meters or more), as well as the presence of permanent mud brick architecture. [1]. Phase III dates from about A.D. 300 to A.D. 900 and is believed to have an even higher population based on crowded cemeteries [1]. The site also has evidence for a more intensive occupation through deep house deposits, possibly from multiple generations [3]. Since there is no evidence for a fourth phase, it is expected that towards the end of phase III, the city experienced a slow decline in population and eventually a total abandonment [2]. However, very little is know about why this decline happened, and more research is needed.
historically, the Inland Niger Delta has been an ideal location for the mass production of staple such as rice, millet and vegetables due to its predictable floods and summer rains[2]. It is believed that this food production, especially that of African rice, was one of the main contributors to population rise in the city of Jenné-Jeno and was widely exported to nearby centers (including Timbuktu)[2]. Many believe that domestic rice was introduced from areas outside the Delta, but the idea that it could not have been manipulated all over the region should not be rejected without further evidence. It is hypothesized that after the decline in aquatic resources we see being exploited in phase I, people adapted by cultivating rice, causing this population explosion[2]
Throughout the sites occupations, pottery fragments are abundant. We see some of the more interesting clay artifacts beginning in Phase II with the terra-cotta statuettes and representations of humans and animals on pottery[4]. It is believed that these artifacts posed ritual function as apposed to a domestic function. Some of these clay figurines are similar to those made by modern Fulani pastoralists for children, which might be evidence for the importance of domesticated cows at the site[2]. One human statuette in particular has been the cause of much debate. It was found on a house floor around small bowls full of suspected offerings [1]. Two other shave been found in similar context 11 kilometers away from the site of Jenne-Jeno and it is hypothesized that they are the representations of a household spirit, as ancestral cults are known to have flourished in the area as late as the 20th century[1].
Location | 2.5 km SE of Djenné |
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Region | Mopti Region, Mali |
Coordinates | 13°53′26″N 4°32′25″W |
Type | Tell |
Area | 33 ha (82 acre) |
History | |
Founded | 250 B.C. |
Abandoned | 14th century |
Periods | Phase I 250 B.C.-A.D. 50
Phase II A.D. 50-A.D. 300 Phase III A.D. 300-A.D. 900 |
Site notes | |
Archaeologists | Susan and Roderick McIntosh |
Website | whc |
Djenné-Djenno (also Jenne-Jeno) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Niger River Valley in the country of Mail. Literally translated to "ancient Djenné", it is the original site of Djenné, Mali and considered to be among the oldest urbanized centers and best known archaeology site in sub-Saharan Africa.[5][1] This archaeological site is located about 3 Kilometers away from the modern town, and is believed to have been involved in long distance trade and possibly the domestication of African rice.[1]With the help of archaeological excavations mainly by Susan and Roderick McIntosh, the site is known to be occupied from 250 B.C. to 900 A.D. The city is believed to have been abandoned and moved where the current city is located due to the spread of Islam and the building of the the Great Mosque of Djenné. Previously, it was assumed that advanced trade networks and complex societies did not exist in the region until the arrival of traders from Southwest Asia, However sites such as Djenné-Djenno prove that is was not the case and these traditions in West Africa flourished long before [5]