Along the Middle Senegal Valley and Beyond: the First Millennium BC at Diallowali, Senegal

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Abstract During the first millennium BC, West Africa was in the midst of social, political, technological, and environmental change. The Diallowali site system, located along the western edge of the Middle Senegal Valley (MSV), is one of the few sites from this period to be intensively investigated and has produced a wealth of data regarding these processes. By considering a variety of artifacts, including stone tools, copper, iron, and worked bone, as well as approximately 5,000 kg of pottery, this paper establishes a detailed cultural chronology for Diallowali – the first of its kind in the Western MSV. Furthermore, these data indicate that the West African world of the first millennium BC was one of expansive interaction, including the trade and exchange of goods and ideas across an area including Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, and beyond.