This manual aims at explaining essential concepts pertaining to the practice of conducting archaeological field work in Africa. No fewer than 63 authors draw on their practical experience in the field to cover specific topics. It seeks to provide concise and readable notes that can be consulted in the field. Each chapter corresponds to a specific phase in the investigative process, from locating and excavating a site, to cataloguing and interpreting findings, and then publishing the results.
The book is online for free in English and in French. It has 9 parts and a total of 79 texts. Users can download the full manual or separate chapters, in high and low resolution versions.
INTRODUCTION. Thinking and writing on the past in Africa High resolution (pdf, 4.7 MB) | Low resolution (pdf, 782 KB)
Introduction. A. Livingstone Smith & S. MacEachern Recovering the African past: looking back from the present. J. Sutton Archaeology in Africa: who or what sets the agenda? S. K. McIntosh Academic research in West Africa: the case of Senegal. M. Sall African perspectives on academic research: the case of Cameroon C. Mbida Mindzie
CHAPTER 1. How do archaeologists plan projects in Africa? High resolution (pdf, 8.3 MB) | Low resolution (pdf, 916 KB)
Introduction. A. Livingstone Organising an international archeological research project in Africa. A. Haour and D. N’Dah Cultural heritage management in Africa. P. Mitchell Case study: heritage management in Central Africa. N. Arazi Rescue and preventive archeology: roads, thermal power stations and quarries. R. Oslisly Managing cultural heritage in Africa: a study of IFAN in Senegal. I. Thiaw Relations with local communities. N. David
CHAPTER 2. Finding and describing archaeological sites High resolution (pdf, 18.8 MB) | Low resolution (pdf, 2.5 MB)
Introduction. A. Livingstone Archeological exploration in an urban African context: Bangui. A. J.-P. Ndanga. Case study: rainforest. M. K. H. Eggert Field survey in the Sahel: an informal guide. K. MacDonald Ancient polities: archaeological survey in a metropolis. A.Ogundiran & B. Agbaje-Williams. Surveying towns. J. Fleisher Archaeological field survey and the recording and cataloguing of archaeological materials. P. J. Lane Large scale reconnaissance and excavation strategy on the Loango Coast. J. Denbow Case study: participating as a student in an impact assessment. P. Nlend Surveying funerary sites. I. Ribot Finding rock art. B. Smith
CHAPTER 3. How to protect archaeological sites High resolution (pdf, 29.7 MB) | Low resolution (pdf, 3.2 MB)
Introduction. A. Livingstone Smith The excavacation of Stone Age sites. R. Vogelsang Village sites. H.-P. Wotzka The pit: archaeological excavation and analysis. A. Assoko Ndong Excavating in urban contexts. J. Fleisher Megalithism. L. Laporte Metallurgic sites. C. Robion-Brunner and V. Serneels Excavating funerary sites. I. Ribot Recording rock art. B. Smith Documenting and studying a rock-art site: the Lovo massif. G. Heimlich Rock art management and conservation. B. Smith
CHAPTER 4. Analysis of materials High resolution (pdf, 22 MB) | Low resolution (pdf, 3.6 MB)
Introduction. A. Livingstone Smith From the field to the lab. D. Bosquet Cataloguing finds. S. Ozainne Making sense of lithics. N. Taylor A case study: analyzing lithics from Shum Laka, Nw province, Cameroon. E. Cornelissen Pottery analysis. A. Livingstone Smith & C. de Francquen Defining pottery styles. T. Huffman Iron objects. D. Killick Copper. L. Garenne-Marot Case study: copper ingots in Central Africa. N. Nikis
CHAPTER 5. Ecofacts and related studies High resolution (pdf, 8.2 MB) | Low resolution (pdf, 2.1 MB)
Introduction. E. Cornelissen Archaeobotanical remains. A. Höhn Archaeozoology in Sub-Saharan Africa. W. Van Neer Case study: domesticated or wild? V. Linseele Soil cover in Central Africa. D. Schwartz Case study in a Sudano-sahelian fluvial setting. M. Rasse Human remains. I. Crevecœur Radiocarbon dating. P. de Maret By means of example: Interpreting C14 dates. E. Cornelissen, P. de Maret & D. K. Wright Other radiometric methods of dating. D. K. Wright Relative dating methods. D. K. Wright
CHAPTER 6. From present to past High resolution (pdf, 21 MB) | Low resolution (pdf, 4.3 MB)
Introduction. O.P. Gosselain The direct historical approach. A. B. Stahl Oral tradition. D. Schoenbrun Historical Linguistics. K. Bostoen The ‘words and things’ method. B. Ricquier Artworks. J. Polet Ethnoarchaeology. D. Lyons. Pottery and oral history. A. Mezop Temgoua-Noumissing Architecture. V. Brunfaut and J.-F. Pinet Ceramic technology between past and present. A. Mayor Comparative technology. O. P. Gosselain Genetics and African archaeology. S. MacEachern
CHAPTER 7. Publishing archaeological research results High resolution (pdf, 844 KB) | Low resolution (pdf, 817 KB)
Introduction. I. Gérard Preparing a manuscript and the process of peer-review. P. Robertshaw Where to publish? E.A.A. Garcea On-line publication and Open Access. J.-P. Devroey