Early archaeological evidence of wheat and cotton from medieval Ile-Ife, Nigeria

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Logan, Amanda L.; Chouin, Gerard L.; Ogunfolakan, Adisa B.; Lally, Shannon; Kuma, Dela; Kuto, Eli; Bell, Kristina; Rosenzweig, Melissa S.; Beldados, Alemseged
• 署名单位: Northwestern University; William & Mary; Obafemi Awolowo University; Pennsylvania Commonwealth System of Higher Education (PCSHE); University of Pittsburgh
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-13905
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403256121
• 发表日期: 2024-09-10
• 关键词: agricultural innovation; gao mali; GLOBALIZATION; HISTORY; glass

摘要

This study reports the earliest directly dated occurrence of archaeological wheat and cotton in the humid forests of West Africa. These are the first archaeobotanical results from the medieval urban center of Ile- Ife, southwestern Nigeria, best known for its famous artworks. Both wheat and cotton likely spread through trans- Saharan trade networks that laid the foundation for later European trade systems. Forty- eight (48) grains of free- threshing wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum) represent the largest assemblage of wheat recovered in sub- Saharan West Africa, which is surprising given that wheat cannot be cultivated locally. Larger quantities of cotton (Gossypium sp.) recovered from late wheat. Cotton may have been cultivated and manufactured into cloth locally. The quick adoption of these exotic crops illustrates the active negotiation of prestige through culinary and adornment practices, as well as a high degree of agricultural experimentation.