accra, 6 july

Visit to the Museum of Archaeology at the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies.

There is a focus on current research undertaken by members of the department and collaborators, and there are plenty of cowries on show.

Some have been the object of research publications. Other items are brought out from the storeroom, and we will have to seek out details on their provenance and context.

In a nutshell, (spoiler warning) the question here in Ghana is about how much the money cowries were used versus the ring cowries, and how big a role local West African cowries might have played.

Other trade goods to West Africa are of course outlined in the museum.

accra, 6 july

I’m in Accra for the 15th meeting of the West African Archaeological Association. I’ve arrived earlier, looking forward to catching up with colleagues and with the hope of researching the cowries held in departmental collections. (The archaeology of Ghana has been majorly important in setting out some of the theories scholars hold about the spread of these shells into West Africa).

 

Neither the traffic, nor the weather, are with me on this occasion, but let’s see how other things go…