Ancient Shrines? New Insights on the Komaland Sites of Northern Ghana

Abstract

This paper reports preliminary results from an archaeological survey and excavation in the Koma area, an archaeological region within the basins of the Sisili and Kulpawn rivers in northern Ghana. Previous research in the area had described the associated stone circle mounds containing terracotta figurines as burial mounds dated to between the 13th and 19th centuries Ad. The current research suggests new perspectives and, based on the material arrangements within and around the mounds , the types of artifacts and their distribution, the nature and burial of incomplete human remains, complete ceramic vessels, and ceramic figurines and other enigmatic objects, it seems more likely that the mounds were remnants of ancient shrines. The symbolic relationship between the different contextual arrangements and also the ceramic figurines depicting animals with human facial features suggest shrine or ritual activities. Ethnographic examples from some West African societies provide insights into the likely multiple functions associated with these possible ancient shrines of the Koma area of northern Ghana. Radiocarbon and thermoluminescence dates obtained push back the occupation of the area and the mound formations to between the 6th century and 10th century AD.