ABSTRACT

The archaeology of the Zulu kingdom in southeastern South Africa has recently seen renewed interest after a long dormancy. Most of what we know about the kingdom comes from oral tradition and historical records. Archaeological research has been limited to the excavation of battlefields, the preserved primary residences of three kings and limited non-systematic survey. Beyond the battlefields and king’s capitals there is considerable opportunity for archaeology to provide evidence that complements written records and oral traditions and that informs us about questions where these records are incomplete, vague or silent. Against the historical record, archaeological research can establish a more secure understanding of settlement pattern, settlement organisation, ecology and landscape use, economics, the nature of non-élite lifeways and how the network of relations amongst social groups and strata that comprised the kingdom’s populace was materialised. The ‘heartland’ of the Zulu kingdom, the emaKhosini Basin, has long been considered an area of high archaeological potential for understanding settlement and society during the nineteenth century AD. Here, we report the results of a reconnaissance survey aimed at relocating reported sites, evaluating their size and layout and establishing their potential for further detailed, systematic survey and excavation in preparation for future long-term work in the emaKhosini.

摘要

南非东南部祖鲁王国的考古在长期休眠后最近重新引起人们的兴趣。我们对王国的了解大部分来自口头传统和历史记录。考古研究仅限于对战场的发掘、保存下来的三位国王的主要住所以及有限的非系统调查。除了战场和国王的首都之外，考古学还有相当多的机会来提供补充书面记录和口头传统的证据，并告知我们这些记录不完整、模糊或沉默的问题。根据历史记录，考古研究可以建立对聚落模式、聚落组织、生态和景观利用、经济学、非精英生活方式的性质以及构成王国民众的社会群体和阶层之间的关系网络是如何实现的。祖鲁王国的“心脏地带”，埃马科西尼盆地，长期以来一直被认为是在公元 19 世纪了解定居点和社会的具有高度考古潜力的地区。在这里，我们报告了一项旨在重新定位报告地点、评估其规模和布局并确定其进一步详细、系统调查和挖掘潜力的侦察调查结果，为未来在 emaKhosini 的长期工作做好准备。长期以来，它一直被认为是了解公元 19 世纪定居点和社会的具有高度考古潜力的地区。在这里，我们报告了一项旨在重新定位报告地点、评估其规模和布局并确定其进一步详细、系统调查和挖掘潜力的侦察调查结果，为未来在 emaKhosini 的长期工作做好准备。长期以来，它一直被认为是了解公元 19 世纪定居点和社会的具有高度考古潜力的地区。在这里，我们报告了一项旨在重新定位报告地点、评估其规模和布局并确定其进一步详细、系统调查和挖掘潜力的侦察调查结果，为未来在 emaKhosini 的长期工作做好准备。