100th century BCE – 15th century BCE
Western Nigeria
The Iwo Eleru microlithic industry is a long-lived archaeological tradition documented in a rock-shelter in western Nigeria. Its deposits contain microlithic artifacts throughout a sequence beginning in the tenth millennium BC and continuing until at least the second half of the second millennium BC. Crescents, triangular microliths, tranchets, awls, scrapers, and chisel-like forms are recorded. Pottery and ground stone artifacts entered the sequence by the middle of the fourth millennium BC without replacing the underlying microlithic tradition.
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The Story
Iwo Eleru, a rock-shelter situated in the high forest of western Nigeria, preserves the longest dated succession of microlithic industries described for West Africa in this chapter. Excavations exposed accumulated deposits between two and three metres deep, and microlithic stone artifacts occurred throughout the sequence. The site provides unusually important evidence because the assemblage is associated with a long chronological span rather than a single surface collection.
The initial occupation of the shelter dates to the tenth millennium BC. Since a microlithic industry is already present at that horizon, its local inception must be earlier, although the duration of the preceding development is unknown. The assemblage contains relatively few intentionally retouched tools; crescents are the most frequent, accompanied by triangular microliths and tranchets, as well as awls, scrapers, and chisel-like forms.
Neither the stratigraphy nor the typology reveals a clear break in the chipped-stone sequence. Radiocarbon evidence indicates that the industry continued until at least the second half of the second millennium BC. Pottery and ground stone artifacts appeared by the middle of the fourth millennium BC, showing that food-production-related technologies entered an already established microlithic tradition rather than simply replacing it.
100th century BCE – 15th century BCE
Western Nigeria
The Iwo Eleru microlithic industry is a long-lived archaeological tradition documented in a rock-shelter in western Nigeria. Its deposits contain microlithic artifacts throughout a sequence beginning in the tenth millennium BC and continuing until at least the second half of the second millennium BC. Crescents, triangular microliths, tranchets, awls, scrapers, and chisel-like forms are recorded. Pottery and ground stone artifacts entered the sequence by the middle of the fourth millennium BC without replacing the underlying microlithic tradition.
Continue exploring
The Story
Iwo Eleru, a rock-shelter situated in the high forest of western Nigeria, preserves the longest dated succession of microlithic industries described for West Africa in this chapter. Excavations exposed accumulated deposits between two and three metres deep, and microlithic stone artifacts occurred throughout the sequence. The site provides unusually important evidence because the assemblage is associated with a long chronological span rather than a single surface collection.
The initial occupation of the shelter dates to the tenth millennium BC. Since a microlithic industry is already present at that horizon, its local inception must be earlier, although the duration of the preceding development is unknown. The assemblage contains relatively few intentionally retouched tools; crescents are the most frequent, accompanied by triangular microliths and tranchets, as well as awls, scrapers, and chisel-like forms.
Neither the stratigraphy nor the typology reveals a clear break in the chipped-stone sequence. Radiocarbon evidence indicates that the industry continued until at least the second half of the second millennium BC. Pottery and ground stone artifacts appeared by the middle of the fourth millennium BC, showing that food-production-related technologies entered an already established microlithic tradition rather than simply replacing it.
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