Dr. Kevin MacDonald

Right, so if you're looking at narcoprenology, so they're coming into the area with polished stone and napstone artifacts and pottery. around 1500 BC. And then somewhere around 800 BC, the terracotta production begins and iron production begins, more or less the same time. I'm sure they don't map neatly onto each other, but at the level of resolution we have, that's what it looks like.

Right, so if you're looking at narcoprenology, so they're coming into the area with polished stone and napstone artifacts and pottery. around 1500 BC. And then somewhere around 800 BC, the terracotta production begins and iron production begins, more or less the same time. I'm sure they don't map neatly onto each other, but at the level of resolution we have, that's what it looks like.

And also, what's interesting is in terms of looking at the connections between the terracottas and the iron, recent excavations at Janjala, find a fragmentary terracotta as an offering in each decommissioned iron furnace. So just, you know, underlining the link. But, so iron smelting at 800 BC, what does it mean?

And also, what's interesting is in terms of looking at the connections between the terracottas and the iron, recent excavations at Janjala, find a fragmentary terracotta as an offering in each decommissioned iron furnace. So just, you know, underlining the link. But, so iron smelting at 800 BC, what does it mean?

And also, what's interesting is in terms of looking at the connections between the terracottas and the iron, recent excavations at Janjala, find a fragmentary terracotta as an offering in each decommissioned iron furnace. So just, you know, underlining the link. But, so iron smelting at 800 BC, what does it mean?

Well, the problem, there's been an ongoing research dispute in Africa over whether or not iron metallurgy is indigenous or not. And this has been going on since the 1970s. NOC has played a role in this. For a long time, one of the earliest African iron smelting sites was Tarugo, which was a NOC site.

Well, the problem, there's been an ongoing research dispute in Africa over whether or not iron metallurgy is indigenous or not. And this has been going on since the 1970s. NOC has played a role in this. For a long time, one of the earliest African iron smelting sites was Tarugo, which was a NOC site.

Well, the problem, there's been an ongoing research dispute in Africa over whether or not iron metallurgy is indigenous or not. And this has been going on since the 1970s. NOC has played a role in this. For a long time, one of the earliest African iron smelting sites was Tarugo, which was a NOC site.

Since then, we know that there are definite areas of older iron smelting, particularly in Senegal, perhaps in Rwanda, areas where you're pushing perhaps above 800 BC. There's a problem in that 800 BC is around a point where there's a flattening in the radiocarbon curve because of solar radiation, where everything between about 800 and 500 BC technically dates the same.

Since then, we know that there are definite areas of older iron smelting, particularly in Senegal, perhaps in Rwanda, areas where you're pushing perhaps above 800 BC. There's a problem in that 800 BC is around a point where there's a flattening in the radiocarbon curve because of solar radiation, where everything between about 800 and 500 BC technically dates the same.

Since then, we know that there are definite areas of older iron smelting, particularly in Senegal, perhaps in Rwanda, areas where you're pushing perhaps above 800 BC. There's a problem in that 800 BC is around a point where there's a flattening in the radiocarbon curve because of solar radiation, where everything between about 800 and 500 BC technically dates the same.

It's like everything is neutralized in that band. So if you get something that dates 600, it could mean 800. If you get something that dates 800, it could mean 500. So this is a really unfortunate place for iron to be invented in Africa. What you need are things that are dating to around 1000 outside of this flattening in the curve. And then, you know, we're over that particular hump.

It's like everything is neutralized in that band. So if you get something that dates 600, it could mean 800. If you get something that dates 800, it could mean 500. So this is a really unfortunate place for iron to be invented in Africa. What you need are things that are dating to around 1000 outside of this flattening in the curve. And then, you know, we're over that particular hump.

It's like everything is neutralized in that band. So if you get something that dates 600, it could mean 800. If you get something that dates 800, it could mean 500. So this is a really unfortunate place for iron to be invented in Africa. What you need are things that are dating to around 1000 outside of this flattening in the curve. And then, you know, we're over that particular hump.

There are some dates, which I believe, and of course, it's also always a matter, you know, there's always people are always debating the rightness or wrongness of dates. But, you know, Senegal around 900 BC to 1000, I think it's possible. But I'm not one of the metallurgical specialists, and they tend to defend their ability to make these sorts of declarations. So everything remains up in the air.

There are some dates, which I believe, and of course, it's also always a matter, you know, there's always people are always debating the rightness or wrongness of dates. But, you know, Senegal around 900 BC to 1000, I think it's possible. But I'm not one of the metallurgical specialists, and they tend to defend their ability to make these sorts of declarations. So everything remains up in the air.

There are some dates, which I believe, and of course, it's also always a matter, you know, there's always people are always debating the rightness or wrongness of dates. But, you know, Senegal around 900 BC to 1000, I think it's possible. But I'm not one of the metallurgical specialists, and they tend to defend their ability to make these sorts of declarations. So everything remains up in the air.

The difficulty is that Africa has not yet been shown to have what would be called a Bronze Age or a Copper Age elsewhere in the world. And the idea is, in terms of the steps of technology, you need to understand how to smelt copper or to make bronze before you can go to iron, because iron making is more tricky than those other things.

The difficulty is that Africa has not yet been shown to have what would be called a Bronze Age or a Copper Age elsewhere in the world. And the idea is, in terms of the steps of technology, you need to understand how to smelt copper or to make bronze before you can go to iron, because iron making is more tricky than those other things.

The difficulty is that Africa has not yet been shown to have what would be called a Bronze Age or a Copper Age elsewhere in the world. And the idea is, in terms of the steps of technology, you need to understand how to smelt copper or to make bronze before you can go to iron, because iron making is more tricky than those other things.