100th century BCE
Northern Somali plateau and Gulf of Aden rift
Hargeisan was a Later Stone Age mode 4 archaeological industry distributed mainly across the northern Somali plateau and the rift of the Gulf of Aden on the Red Sea coast. Its assemblages included backed blades, burins, end-scrapers, small unifacial points, and occasional convex-based arrowheads. The industry is presented as the earliest Later Stone Age industry identified in the Ethiopian and Horn of Africa region, although its chronology remains uncertain because absolute dates are scarce.
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The Story
Hargeisan is identified as the earliest Later Stone Age industry currently recognized in the Ethiopian plateau and Horn of Africa region discussed here. Its distribution is centered on the northern Somali plateau and extends toward the rift of the Gulf of Aden on the Red Sea coast. The archaeological sequence remains poorly known, and most chronological estimates in the region are tentative.
The industry is classified as mode 4 and is characterized by backed blades, burins, and end-scrapers. It also includes small unifacial points that recall forms from the final phases of the local Middle Stone Age, together with occasional convex-based arrowheads. These traits provided the basis for comparing Hargeisan with early phases of the Kenya Capsian and with industries from the Ethiopian plateau.
Hargeisan was followed by an industry described as Wilton, best known from Mandera in northern Somalia. The Mandera assemblage was dominated by crescents, short end-scrapers, and small convex scrapers, with occasional burins and undecorated pottery sherds. The relationship between these regional variants and their absolute dates remains virtually unknown.
100th century BCE
Northern Somali plateau and Gulf of Aden rift
Hargeisan was a Later Stone Age mode 4 archaeological industry distributed mainly across the northern Somali plateau and the rift of the Gulf of Aden on the Red Sea coast. Its assemblages included backed blades, burins, end-scrapers, small unifacial points, and occasional convex-based arrowheads. The industry is presented as the earliest Later Stone Age industry identified in the Ethiopian and Horn of Africa region, although its chronology remains uncertain because absolute dates are scarce.
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The Story
Hargeisan is identified as the earliest Later Stone Age industry currently recognized in the Ethiopian plateau and Horn of Africa region discussed here. Its distribution is centered on the northern Somali plateau and extends toward the rift of the Gulf of Aden on the Red Sea coast. The archaeological sequence remains poorly known, and most chronological estimates in the region are tentative.
The industry is classified as mode 4 and is characterized by backed blades, burins, and end-scrapers. It also includes small unifacial points that recall forms from the final phases of the local Middle Stone Age, together with occasional convex-based arrowheads. These traits provided the basis for comparing Hargeisan with early phases of the Kenya Capsian and with industries from the Ethiopian plateau.
Hargeisan was followed by an industry described as Wilton, best known from Mandera in northern Somalia. The Mandera assemblage was dominated by crescents, short end-scrapers, and small convex scrapers, with occasional burins and undecorated pottery sherds. The relationship between these regional variants and their absolute dates remains virtually unknown.
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