Recent Archaeological Survey of Gidan Boji Settlement Site at Kwatarkwashi, Zamfara State, North-Western Nigeria

Abstract

This paper presents a report and the findings of an archaeological survey carried out at Gidan Boji, an ancient settlement site in the Kwatarkwashi area in Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria. The Kwatarkwashi area is one of the early centres of human occupation in Hausaland. The paper identified new sites of ancient human settlements in the Kwatarkwashi area that have not been described by previous studies. However, the most impressive of these newly identified sites in terms of size and structure is the Gidan Boji, which is the focus of this paper. The survey yields a wealth of archaeological finds including traces of homesteads, granary foundations, different types of defensive systems, grinding stones and pottery. Above all, the existence of defensive walls and several cave shelters suggests a fairly developed system of defense. This further confirms the existence of a settled society which a fairly well-developed material culture at a particular time in the past. For a clearer picture of the history, peopling and settlement pattern of Gidan Boji to be understood, the paper call for more attention towards systematic documentation of the entire sites and excavation around the Kwatarkwashi inselbergs. With more funds and collaborations, thorough archaeological investigation can be activated to study different aspects of the cultural history of the area as a similitude to the Nok Culture archaeological project.