The Department of Anthropology presents a colloquium series talk by Elizabeth Wahab, Society of Fellows Postdoctoral Scholar in Archaeology at Boston University, titled “Of ‘Storied’ Pots and Their Unknown Potters: The Organization of Craft Production in Ancient Igbo Ukwu (9th-15th Century CE), Southeastern Nigeria."

By the start of the first millennium CE, West Africa experienced major social, economic, and political shifts driven by multiple factors, including reconfigurations of trade networks, population growth and urbanization, and technological change. The 1st - 2nd millennium CE is also significant for the intensification of craft production across the region, resulting in diverse material expressions across West Africa. This talk examines pottery production at ancient Igbo Ukwu (9th–15th Century CE), one of the most prominent archaeological sites in West Africa, underscoring the material and technological strategies employed by potters in this ancient society. By focusing on pottery production technologies and use patterns at Igbo Ukwu, this talk demonstrates how the organization of pottery production in this ancient society advances knowledge of craft organization and socioeconomies in ancient West Africa.

Elizabeth Wahab is a Society of Fellows Postdoctoral Scholar in Archaeology at Boston University. Elizabeth studies technology, craft production, and sociopolitical organization in ancient West African societies to further understanding of West Africa’s engagement in globalization processes and the enduring impact of these histories.