The Early Iron Age in the Interlacustrine Region: The Diffusion of Iron Technology

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Abstract
The present paper describes twenty-four Early Iron Age sites. The pottery from these sites is currently grouped into six traditions: Tshamfu, Nyirankuba, Mukinanira, Masangano, Mikweti and Kawezi.11 A critical analysis of the twenty-three radiocarbon dates, considered as valid for the Interlacustrine Early Iron Age Industry, suggests a time span roughly covering the first millennium a.d. Furthermore, it is suggested that a proto-Bantu, or Bantu-speaking population migrated along the north of the equatorial forest while living in a Stone Age context. They acquired an iron technology only upon their arrival at ‘the big-rivers-and-lake-system’; and could have penetrated into the western part of the area here considered, possibly between 500 and 0 B.C. The pottery of some of the eastern inland sites seems to be more evolved and is, judging from the radiocarbon dates, of a later date. The various decoration patterns present on the pottery of the western sites support the hypothesis that the Interlacustrine region might be considered as a nuclear area, back to which may be traced several Early Iron Age pottery traditions to be found east and south of the region considered here.