posted
The African Archaeological Review, 6 (1988), pp. 57 72
Who were the later Pleistocene eastern Africans?
L . A . SCHEPARTZ
Abstract
A later Pleistocene Khoisan peopling of eastern Africa has been suggested by most researchers. The evidence cited consists of a few isolated crania, archaeological occurrences described as 'Wilton', rock paintings and scattered populations of present-day huntergatherers speaking languages with clicks and viewed as bearing some physical resemblances to living Khoisan groups. When these different lines of evidence are evaluated, it is clear that there is no strong basis for retaining the concept of later Pleistocene Khoisan populations in eastern Africa. Instead, the available data suggest that the later Pleistocene and Holocene eastern Africans were tall, linear peoples.
CB writes: This is in response to Thought saying Pleistocene East Africans looked more like West Africans. They didn't, instead they more like the modern Afro-Asiatic and Nilo-Saharan speakers there.
Posts: 285 | From: Mississippi | Registered: Oct 2005
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"Linguistic evidence suggests that, prehistorically, eastern Africa was a place where speakers of at least two other language phyla might have congregated. Ehret's (1974a) reconstruction of proto-Nilotic places Nilo- Saharan-speakers in eastern Africa by at least 4-6000 BP. In keeping with this, Sutton (1974, 1977) has suggested that Nilotic language-speakers living in northern Kenya today provide a good analogy for the archaeological remains of semi-permanent lakeshore habitations in the same area dating from between 10,000 and 4000 BP (Owen et al. 1982). Afroasiatic is another language phylum that may have been present early in eastern Africa. Ehret (1974b) suggests Afroasiatie (Southern Cushitic) speakers began moving into eastern Africa at least 5000 years ago and that they may have been responsible for early stone cairn burials in northern Kenya (Stiles and Munro-Hay 1981). Given these linguistic arguments for early populations of Nilo-Saharan and Afroasiatic language-speakers in eastern Africa and their ties with current eastern African populations, it seems more reasonable to regard those groups as the earliest known populations in the region, and to reserve judgement on the role of click language-speakers."
And
"If some of the eastern African rock paintings date to the terminal Pleistocene or early Holocene, the tall 'Kolo' peoples may represent groups like the lakeshore fishing folk thought to have been in eastern Africa at least as early as 10,000 BP (Barthelme 1977, 1981; Owen et al. 1982). Human remains from the lakeshore sites of Lothagam, the Lake Turkana Galana Boi beds and Ishango are tall and linear, exactly the features depicted in the 'Kolo' style paintings. This link between the 'Kolo' style paintings and skeletons from the lakeshore sites is supported by other evidence. Archaeologists have proposed that ancestral populations of either Nilo-Saharan (Sutton 1974, 1977) or Affoasiatic language-speakers could have been responsible for these lakeshore sites; and modern speakers of both linguistic phyla are among the tallest and most slender people of eastern Africa (Hiernaux 1968, 1975).
The role of tall, linearly built populations in eastern Africa's prehistory has always been debated. Traditionally, they are viewed as late migrants into the area. But as there is better palaeoanthropological and linguistic documentation for the earlier presence of these populations than for any other group in eastern Africa, it is far more likely that they are indigenous eastern Africans. I have argued elsewhere (Schepartz 1985) that these prehistoric linear populations show resemblances to both Upper Pleistocene eastern African fossils and present-day, non-Bantu-speaking groups in eastern Africa, with minor differences stemming from changes in overall robusticity of the dentition and skeleton. This suggests a longstanding tradition of linear populations in eastern Africa, contributing to the indigenous development of cultural and biological diversity from the Pleistocene up to the present.Posts: 285 | From: Mississippi | Registered: Oct 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Triple Stage Darkness: The African Archaeological Review, 6 (1988), pp. 57 72
Who were the later Pleistocene eastern Africans?
L . A . SCHEPARTZ
Abstract
A later Pleistocene Khoisan peopling of eastern Africa has been suggested by most researchers. The evidence cited consists of a few isolated crania, archaeological occurrences described as 'Wilton', rock paintings and scattered populations of present-day huntergatherers speaking languages with clicks and viewed as bearing some physical resemblances to living Khoisan groups. When these different lines of evidence are evaluated, it is clear that there is no strong basis for retaining the concept of later Pleistocene Khoisan populations in eastern Africa. Instead, the available data suggest that the later Pleistocene and Holocene eastern Africans were tall, linear peoples.
CB writes: This is in response to Thought saying Pleistocene East Africans looked more like West Africans. They didn't, instead they more like the modern Afro-Asiatic and Nilo-Saharan speakers there.
It's clear that the elongated phenotype is native and ancient to East Africa.
Also variations in skull shape ranging from long faced with higher nose and less projection of the jaw, to broader faced with lower broader nose and more projection of the jaw appear to be very ancient.
This pattern of variation exists in places such as East Asia and even in remote locales such as the Andaman Islands, and older populations seem to have 'more' and not less variation, in general.
Posts: 15202 | Registered: Jun 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Triple Stage Darkness: The African Archaeological Review, 6 (1988), pp. 57 72
Who were the later Pleistocene eastern Africans?
L . A . SCHEPARTZ
Abstract
A later Pleistocene Khoisan peopling of eastern Africa has been suggested by most researchers. The evidence cited consists of a few isolated crania, archaeological occurrences described as 'Wilton', rock paintings and scattered populations of present-day huntergatherers speaking languages with clicks and viewed as bearing some physical resemblances to living Khoisan groups. When these different lines of evidence are evaluated, it is clear that there is no strong basis for retaining the concept of later Pleistocene Khoisan populations in eastern Africa. Instead, the available data suggest that the later Pleistocene and Holocene eastern Africans were tall, linear peoples.
CB writes: This is in response to Thought saying Pleistocene East Africans looked more like West Africans. They didn't, instead they more like the modern Afro-Asiatic and Nilo-Saharan speakers there.
Can you please provide the particular citation you are referring to?
Has any thought been given to the possibility that not a single physical type was present in East Africa, just as is the case now?
quote:rasol: It's clear that the elongated phenotype is native and ancient to East Africa.
Also variations in skull shape ranging from long faced with higher nose and less projection of the jaw, to broader faced with lower broader nose and more projection of the jaw appear to be very ancient.
This pattern of variation exists in places such as East Asia and even in remote locales such as the Andaman Islands, and older populations seem to have 'more' and not less variation, in general.
The crux of the matter! Variation in African physical types is quite ancient. This would have very likely been the case in the Pleistocene; there is no need to invoke one physical type as the representative of one corner of the continent. For all we know, the "Khoisan" types, which the author mentioned earlier, and ancestors of Nilo-Saharan and Afrasan speaking groups were all in eastern Africa during the Pleistocene. People aren't stationary, and the type of economy these groups had during the timeframe in question, should be taken into consideration.
Posts: 5964 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
"If some of the eastern African rock paintings date to the terminal Pleistocene or early Holocene, the tall 'Kolo' peoples may represent groups like the lakeshore fishing folk thought to have been in eastern Africa at least as early as 10,000 BP (Barthelme 1977, 1981; Owen et al. 1982). Human remains from the lakeshore sites of Lothagam, the Lake Turkana Galana Boi beds and Ishango are tall and linear, exactly the features depicted in the 'Kolo' style paintings. This link between the 'Kolo' style paintings and skeletons from the lakeshore sites is supported by other evidence. Archaeologists have proposed that ancestral populations of either Nilo-Saharan (Sutton 1974, 1977) or Affoasiatic language-speakers could have been responsible for these lakeshore sites; and modern speakers of both linguistic phyla are among the tallest and most slender people of eastern Africa (Hiernaux 1968, 1975).
The role of tall, linearly built populations in eastern Africa's prehistory has always been debated. Traditionally, they are viewed as late migrants into the area. But as there is better palaeoanthropological and linguistic documentation for the earlier presence of these populations than for any other group in eastern Africa, it is far more likely that they are indigenous eastern Africans. I have argued elsewhere (Schepartz 1985) that these prehistoric linear populations show resemblances to both Upper Pleistocene eastern African fossils and present-day, non-Bantu-speaking groups in eastern Africa, with minor differences stemming from changes in overall robusticity of the dentition and skeleton. This suggests a longstanding tradition of linear populations in eastern Africa, contributing to the indigenous development of cultural and biological diversity from the Pleistocene up to the present.
So much for the theory of ancient 'caucasoids' or even Arabs migrating into East Africa!
quote:rasol says: It's clear that the elongated phenotype is native and ancient to East Africa.
Also variations in skull shape ranging from long faced with higher nose and less projection of the jaw, to broader faced with lower broader nose and more projection of the jaw appear to be very ancient.
Apparently so.
quote:This pattern of variation exists in places such as East Asia and even in remote locales such as the Andaman Islands, and older populations seem to have 'more' and not less variation, in general.
Definitely true. Many people are ignorant of the phenotypic diversity that exists within East Asia, even within China alone! A perfect example would be Tibet. The populations there vary from tall elongated types with long narrow faces and noses to short broad featured people. The former features being typical but not exclusive to the nomad pastoralists while the latter features being typical but not exclusive to the agriculturalists.
Using racial constructs one might say "caucasoid-like" for the former and "negroid-like" for the latter but the presence of these features these populations alone point out the fallacies of such racial constructions.
Posts: 26267 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Triple Stage Darkness: CB writes: This is in response to Thought saying Pleistocene East Africans looked more like West Africans. They didn't, instead they more like the modern Afro-Asiatic and Nilo-Saharan speakers there.
Thought Writes:
I crown thee the "mischaracterization king".
Why don't you post the quote of mine that you are refering to so that my comment is placed within its proper context.
quote:A later Pleistocene Khoisan peopling of eastern Africa has been suggested by most researchers. The evidence cited consists of a few isolated crania, archaeological occurrences described as 'Wilton', rock paintings and scattered populations of present-day hunter-gatherers speaking languages with clicks and viewed as bearing some physical resemblances to living Khoisan groups...
Instead, the available data suggest that the later Pleistocene and Holocene eastern Africans were tall, linear peoples.
Haven't we all long dealt with and acknowledged the issue of the physical types NATIVE to the east African regions. Recalling on one such discussion with S. Mohammad:
...the point being that, the idea of tall people with nose openings of "medium or narrow width" and less "prognathism" being native to east Africa, is no news flash to those of us who re-visited this issue time and again, and so, why would anyone of us deny it, after having acknowledged it?
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