An Archaeological Investigation of Selected Ewe-Danish Contact Sites at Keta, Volta Region, Ghana.

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dc.contributor.authorGokah, B.
dc.date.accessioned2021-04-21T09:37:28Z
dc.date.available2021-04-21T09:37:28Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.descriptionMPhilen_US
dc.description.abstractThis research presents the results of an archaeological investigation conducted at Keta. It teases out the migration and settlement history of the Anlo people. Information gathered from oral tradition, reconnaissance survey, ethnography and material remains from archaeological excavations have been used to reconstruct socio-economic and cultural lifeways of the people, to provide information on early subsistence economy and socio cultural interactions and relationships between the various sections of the settlement. It also identifies current socio-economic lifeways that can be attributed to Euro-Ewe contact. Material cultural studies have been the backbone of the research. Datable European material remains date the excavated sites from the 17th to the 20th century. The faunal remains excavated at Fort Prinzenstein (where the Europeans resided) and the Ghana Stores Bar (where Africans resided) as well as the locally manufactured pottery are similar, an indication that the residents of the fort as well as the native population depended on similar sources of protein and pottery. The European residents of the fort therefore adapted to local conditions. The Europeans also affected the lifestyle of the local people as the smoking pipes and glass beads found at the Ghana Stores Bar testify. Fishing and fish processing, salt production, trading, animal husbandry, crop farming, kente weaving and mat weaving and iron smithing were the main occupation of the people. Faunal remains from fish, shell fish and domestic animals recovered from excavations testify to their exploitation for food and their role in the subsistence economy. Similar finds including locally manufactured pottery, European smoking pipes, bones, mollusc shells and glass beads were excavated from three different sections of the site, making it difficult to identify the use of space and gender relationships on the basis of the archaeological finds. A large number of churches and schools have sprung up in the area due to the role played by missionaries. Intermarriages among traders and locals have resulted in a “mulatto” population in the Keta area. Evidence of trade and interaction between Europeans and Africans can be seen in the form of European imported items as smoking pipes, glass beads, drinking glasses, alcoholic beverage and poison bottles and other metal objects such as nails. The locally manufactured potteries found at Fort Prinzenstein also testify to interaction between Europeans and Africans. This research will kindle further research at the site. The materials excavated will serve as museum exhibit and will facilitate a comparative study of Danish interactions.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/36201
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Ghanaen_US
dc.subjectFort Prinzensteinen_US
dc.subjectGhanaen_US
dc.subjectKetaen_US
dc.subjectHistoric buildingsen_US
dc.subjectHistorical Archaeologyen_US
dc.subjectSea Erosionen_US
dc.subjectCultural Contactsen_US
dc.titleAn Archaeological Investigation of Selected Ewe-Danish Contact Sites at Keta, Volta Region, Ghana.en_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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