Senegal

Project Zooarchaeologist, 2010-present

This research project is based at the early 2nd millennium CE village Diouboye, located along the Faleme River in eastern Senegal. Excavations at the site have yielded an exceptionally large faunal assemblage, the analysis of which will be a multi-year project leading to a significant contribution to our understanding of Iron Age hunting and herding in this region.

Initial results from this project indicate that in addition to herding, occupants of Diouboye engaged in large scale hunting of animals with ivory (hippopotamus and elephant), animals with desirable skins (leopard and crocodile), and particularly animals appropriate for high quality leather production (primarily medium bovids). These products may have been produced for exchange within West Africa or for the trans-Saharan trade.

This project is in collaboration with Project Director Dr. Cameron Gokee (Appalachian State University).

Relevant Publications

Dueppen, Stephen and Cameron Gokee
2014       Hunting on the margins of medieval West African states: A preliminary study of the
               archaeological record of Diouboye, Senegal. Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa
               49(3): 354-85.