Mineralogical analysis of ancient pottery in a Swahili setlement of Siyu, north coast of Kenya

Abstract

This paper presents the mineralogical analysis of ancient pottery from Siyu, one of the ancient Swahili settlements on Kenya's north coast. The application of mineralogical analysis on ancient pottery was conducted as an adjunct to a broad archaeological investigation of the early occupation of Siyu using the exchange networks perspective. One of the study's objectives was to determine the quality of potting material in the potsherds and resource base that premediated the exchange of pottery among other household goods. The samples for comparative mineralogical analysis comprised potsherds and raw clay from Siyu. The results indicate that the mineral compositions in the potsherds are not similar to those of raw clay. The crockery and clay utilized by the earlier inhabitants of this city-state were sourced from sources outside the Lamu archipelago. In conclusion, the Siyu pottery was not made locally; rather it was imported from other cities. The city-state of Siyu had the necessary structures to tap into the local exchange networks that enabled merchants to access finished pottery from far. The study recommends further multidisciplinary analysis of more samples to map out pottery production sites, routes, and catchment areas to supply households to this once important city-state.