Report of the Archaeology Committee of the African Studies Association for the Year 1966-1967

Abstract

The Committee for the year consisted of seven members: J. D. Clark, Chairman; Glen H. Cole; Brian M. Fagan; W. Creighton Gabel; F. Clark Howell; Glynn L. Isaac; and Frank Willett. On their taking up appointments in the United States, it was with pleasure that we welcomed, in January, Messrs. Fagan and Willett to the small group of archaeologists actively engaged on research in Africa. The two retiring members -- J. D. Clark and F. Clark Howell -- will be replaced on the Committee by C. M. Keller; W. Creighton Gabel has been appointed chairman for 1967-1968. During the past year the Committee has concerned itself with (1) collecting and regularly disseminating information on current research and teaching and on the interest generally in African archaeology in America; (2) promoting discussion on general developments and trends in African archaeology; (3) promoting urgent research projects in connection with dam construction; and (4) training and liaison. The results under each of these heads are described below. In order to discover the extent and nature of later archaeological (post “neolithic”) research presently in progress, a circular was distributed to a number of individuals both in Africa and in the United States. The response was excellent and resulted in valuable summaries of current work together with suggestions for future work. Most of the research is being done by local nationals and expeditions in Africa and, thanks to the regular meetings of the Pan-African Congress on Prehistory and Quaternary Studies, the majority are known to each other and are in regular communication. This circular supplements that previously distributed to individuals and institutions in this country, and its results have been mimeographed and circulated by the University of Illinois at Urbana.