15th century – 18th century
Madagascar
The Maroserana migrations were a major example of population movements associated with the emergence of kingdoms and chiefdoms in Madagascar. Around 1500, the island remained highly mobile and contained sparsely settled areas; by 1800, most of Madagascar was organized into states of various kinds. The migrations therefore formed part of a long process in which state formation stabilized settlement and intensified the political organization of space.
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The Story
Madagascar is presented as a prime example of population movements connected to the emergence of kingdoms and chiefdoms. The Maroserana migrations formed part of this process, in which mobile populations entered a landscape that still contained sparsely settled areas. Around 1500, political organization remained uneven and much of the island was not yet incorporated into states.
Over the following centuries, migration and the formation of new political structures changed the organization of the island. By 1800, most of Madagascar had been organized into states of various kinds. The transformation was not simply a matter of conquest: it involved the stabilization of settlement and the progressive political control of space.
The Maroserana example belongs to a broader contrast within eastern Africa. In the northern part of the region, mass migration and the expansion of herding groups predominated, while in the southern half and on Madagascar, new social organizations associated with kingdoms and chiefdoms helped stabilize settlement and support more intensive land use.
15th century – 18th century
Madagascar
The Maroserana migrations were a major example of population movements associated with the emergence of kingdoms and chiefdoms in Madagascar. Around 1500, the island remained highly mobile and contained sparsely settled areas; by 1800, most of Madagascar was organized into states of various kinds. The migrations therefore formed part of a long process in which state formation stabilized settlement and intensified the political organization of space.
Continue exploring
The Story
Madagascar is presented as a prime example of population movements connected to the emergence of kingdoms and chiefdoms. The Maroserana migrations formed part of this process, in which mobile populations entered a landscape that still contained sparsely settled areas. Around 1500, political organization remained uneven and much of the island was not yet incorporated into states.
Over the following centuries, migration and the formation of new political structures changed the organization of the island. By 1800, most of Madagascar had been organized into states of various kinds. The transformation was not simply a matter of conquest: it involved the stabilization of settlement and the progressive political control of space.
The Maroserana example belongs to a broader contrast within eastern Africa. In the northern part of the region, mass migration and the expansion of herding groups predominated, while in the southern half and on Madagascar, new social organizations associated with kingdoms and chiefdoms helped stabilize settlement and support more intensive land use.