Gajiganna B
Basic information
Sample name: Gajiganna B
Reference: P. Breunig, K. Neumann, and W. Van Neer. 1996. New research on the Holocene settlement and environment of the Chad Basin in Nigeria. African Archaeological Review 13(2):111-145 [ER 3367]
Geography
Country: Nigeria
Coordinate: 12° 16' N, 13° 13' E
Coordinate basis: estimated from map
Time interval: Holocene
Max Ma: 0.00315
Min Ma: 0.00273
Age basis: radiocarbon (calibrated)
Geography comments: "80 km north of Konduga"
"The upper cultural layer (layer 3) has a date of 2740 B.P. ± 50 years (967-813 CalBC, UtC-2331) and the lower cultural layer (layer 4) is dated to 3150 B.P. ± 70 years (1490-1318 CalBC, UtC-2330), 3140 B.P. ± 110 years (1520-1319 CalBC, UtC-2332) and 2880 B.P. ± 120 years (1304-834 CalBC, KN-4675)" and there are additional dates for a pit "from the lower cultural layer" of 3040 B.P. ± 120 years and for "a small test excavation at the foot of the mound" of 2730 B.P. ± 50 years and 2750 B.P. ± 70 years
"The upper cultural layer (layer 3) has a date of 2740 B.P. ± 50 years (967-813 CalBC, UtC-2331) and the lower cultural layer (layer 4) is dated to 3150 B.P. ± 70 years (1490-1318 CalBC, UtC-2330), 3140 B.P. ± 110 years (1520-1319 CalBC, UtC-2332) and 2880 B.P. ± 120 years (1304-834 CalBC, KN-4675)" and there are additional dates for a pit "from the lower cultural layer" of 3040 B.P. ± 120 years and for "a small test excavation at the foot of the mound" of 2730 B.P. ± 50 years and 2750 B.P. ± 70 years
Environment
Lithology: claystone
Taphonomic context: human accumulation
Archaeology: bone tools,buildings,ceramics,hearths,stone tools
Habitat comments: a low mound "around 2 m in height and 150 m in diameter... surrounded by clay flats"
the stratigraphy is "very similar" to that of Gajiganna A, which includes "about 2 m of deposits... The sediment in these layers consists largely of clay... we assume that the clay was brought onto the site by the inhabitants in the form of mud-bricks or, more probably, daub for houses" and there is "well-preserved organic material: pollen, animal bones, and charcoal"
there are no graves
there is abundant pottery plus some lithic artefacts including grinding stones, stone axes, adzes, chisels, and arrowheads, plus bone artifacts including harpoons and clay figurines
the stratigraphy is "very similar" to that of Gajiganna A, which includes "about 2 m of deposits... The sediment in these layers consists largely of clay... we assume that the clay was brought onto the site by the inhabitants in the form of mud-bricks or, more probably, daub for houses" and there is "well-preserved organic material: pollen, animal bones, and charcoal"
there are no graves
there is abundant pottery plus some lithic artefacts including grinding stones, stone axes, adzes, chisels, and arrowheads, plus bone artifacts including harpoons and clay figurines
Methods
Life forms: carnivores,ungulates,birds,lizards,snakes,turtles,fishes,snails
Sampling methods: quarry
Sample size: 1351 specimens
Sampling comments: a "5 x 5-m" trench was excavated "at the highest point" of the mound
Metadata
Sample number: 3725
Contributor: John Alroy
Enterer: John Alroy
Created: 2020-12-02 15:11:28
Modified: 2020-12-02 04:11:28
Abundance distribution
19 species
6 singletons
total count 1351
geometric series index: 31.8
Fisher's α: 3.130
geometric series k: 0.6924
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.5889
Shannon's H: 1.2316
Good's u: 0.9956
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| Pila cf. wernei | 36 | |
| Polypterus sp. | 28 | |
| Heterotis niloticus | 36 | |
| Clarias spp. | 747 | |
| Varanus sp. | 1 | |
| Python sp. | 22 | |
| Pelusios sp. | 7 | |
| Anas acuta | 1 | 1.0 kg |
| Numida meleagris | 1 | 1.3 kg omnivore |
| Ardeotis arabs | 1 | 7.8 kg |
| Canis sp. | 3 | |
| Viverridae indet. small | 1 | |
| Phacochoerus africanus | 3 | 82 kg grazer-browser |
| "Phacochoerus aethiopicus" | ||
| Redunca redunca | 6 | 44 kg grazer |
| Cephalophus sp. | 3 | |
| Ourebia ourebi | 7 | 14 kg grazer-browser |
| Ovis aries | 1 | 41 kg |
| "Ovis ammon aries" | ||
| Capra aegagrus hircus | 14 | 22 kg browser-grazer |
| Bos taurus | 433 | 337 kg |
| "Bos primigenius taurus" | ||