Pan-African Congress on Prehistory

Abstract

THE Government of Kenya has agreed that a Pan-African Congress on Prehistory (Archaeology) shall be convened in Nairobi, Kenya Colony, during January 11-February 1, 1947. The Congress will be concerned with the prehistory of the African continent, and the discussions will also include relevant subjects, such as those aspects of palseontology which intimately concern prehistory, climatic changes and quaternary geology in relation to prehistory. It is proposed that the Congress should be divided into two parts. The first three and a half days will be devoted to discussions upon problems of a general nature, including the following: terminology for the various pluvial periods and post-pluvial phases of the Pleistocene ; terminology for the stone-age cultures in Africa ; definitions of the words 'Pliocene' and 'Pleistocene' with the view of reaching an agreed definition throughout the African continent ; cooperation in respect of research programmes in prehistory and allied subjects in the various African territories ; protection of prehistoric sites and of other sites of connected interest ; control of excavations ; future of research into prehistory and allied subjects in African territories. The second part of the Congress will be devoted to the reading of papers and to discussions upon discoveries made in the field of prehistory since 1939, and more particularly to such discoveries as have had little publicity outside the territories in which they were made, owing to wartime conditions. Excursions to sites in East Africa are planned to take place both during the days immediately preceding the Congress and also during the week following the Congress. The former is designed to give delegates an opportunity of seeing the principal type sections upon which the pluvial and post-pluvial climatic changes for Kenya were originally based, and also to see some of the more important prehistoric sites in the Rift Valley. During the Congress, there will be an excursion to the Olorgesailie prehistoric site, which is being developed as a 'museum on the spot' to illustrate the evolution of the Acheulean culture. It is hoped to obtain special air-travel facilities for delegates to the Congress. All correspondence relating to the Congress should be addressed to Dr. L. S. B. Leakey, Organising Secretary, P.O. Box 658, Nairobi, Kenya.