Archaeological Remains on the Southern Somali Coast

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Abstract
This article describes a series of sites and their architectural remains (notably mosques, tombs—both with and without pillars—and town walls) on what can be described as the heartland of the Bajun coast in the extreme south of Somalia (fig. 1). The imported pottery collected from these sites suggests that none are earlier than the fourteenth or fifteenth century. Most of the datable material is probably of the sixteenth century: a little is later. The local pottery is interesting in that it mostly contrasts (especially in fabric) with that found on the Kenya coast. Characteristic of these wares, and also of those of the Banadir coast further north, is a rather sandy, fabric which fires dark red on the surface and is usually red or red-brown all through. In this respect it is similar to the pottery made nowadays at Barawa. No earlier sites have yet been found in this region. In fact we still have no material evidence of occupation in the early Islamic period anywhere between the Lamu archipelago and Gezira, close to Mogadishu. But it is very probable that there was such occupation at Barawa, mentioned by Idrisi in the twelfth century. Here there seems to be occupation debris 7 to 8 metres deep: test excavations dug to a depth of 4 metres had still not reached material earlier than the fifteenth century. The map (fig. 1) which illustrates this article is compiled chiefly from a survey carried ot under USSR auspices. The name Buurgal adjacent to Bur Gavo is of interest meaning the ‘hill of the infidels’, presumably referring to pre- or non-Muslim occupants. We have included illustrations (by Bridget McCrum) of a selection of the pottery (fig. 5). Of particular interest is the curious sherd from Ras Kiambone with incised decoration on the interior: we remain unsure whether this is a rim-sherd, or indeed from what sort of ceramic object it derived.

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