Northwards from Sofala: Archaeological Reconnaissance in Cabo Delgado Province, Northern Mozambique

Abstract

Visits made to archaeological sites in Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique, in early 2018 revealed a landscape rich in relatively under-researched cultural heritage, some of which is threatened by growing Islamic insurgency. Archaeological reconnaissance was conducted by the author to determine which sites were best suited to serve as case studies for his PhD research into the Islamisation of northern Mozambique. This pre-survey prioritized previously recorded Swahili sites in the southern Quirimbas Archipelago, namely on the islands of Ibo, Matemo, and Quirimba, as well as a cluster of sites on Cape Delgado, M’buizi and Tungi. However, possible new sites were documented during the visits to Cape Delgado and are detailed below. All locales visited contained artefacts dating primarily to the mid-second millennium AD, but absolute chronologies have not been determined as most of the sites visited have not been adequately examined. A dearth of cultural heritage protection schemes in the far northern region of Mozambique leaves conspicuous archaeological remains vulnerable to opportunistic looting and intentional damaging. Instances of both types of destruction were observed by the author in 2018.