AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF OKO HILL-TOP SETTLEMENTSITE, IN KUTA AREA SHIRORO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NIGER STATE NIGERIA
AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF OKO HILL-TOP SETTLEMENTSITE, IN KUTA AREA SHIRORO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NIGER STATE NIGERIA
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Date
2017-10
Authors
ABUBAKAR, ABDULKAREEM
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Abstract
This research is entitled „„An Archaeological Survey of Oko Hilltop Settlement site,in Kuta area, Shiroro Local Government, Niger state‟‟. The research is informedby the lack of an Archaeology based study of one of the major cities occupied today by the Gbagyi ethnic group mostly living in the Middle of Niger-Benue confluence area. The understudy area is situated in Kuta town 62 kilometers east of Minna the capital of Niger state and located on one of the Kuta hills rooted on the eastern part of the town. Therefore, an archaeological investigation of the site via reconnaissance was carried out vis a vis collection of oral traditions, consultations of literatures, ethnographic studies as well as classification and analysis of data which were interpreted using historical Archaeology as a model in order to understand the culture history of the former inhabitants thus contributing to ou knowledge of some aspects of the settlement history of Gbagyi. Consequently,reconnaissance of the site revealed cultural remains in form of, defensive wall ruins, potsherd pavements, settlement mounds, granaries, house foundations, grinding stones, artificial ponds, shrines, and burial sites among others. Ethnographic data highlighted the extent or degree of cultural continuity especially in pottery traditions, granaries and house foundations between the past and present inhabitants of the studied area. Oral traditions provided valuable information about the traditions of origin, settlement layout as well as insight into some of the material culture found at the site. The consultation of relevant literatures nonetheless informed the researcher of the need to holistically study the site using historical Archaeology as a method in interpreting cultural materials found on the site. This research has succeeded in producing a site map, showing spatial distribution of cultural materials left behind by man who lived and harnessed different environmental provisions in the area. It has also unified various traditions of origin about the early peopling of the area by concession of different reports available and collected. However more needs to be done in the areas of excavation and dating in order to be able to establish chronology of the area understudy.
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A THESIS SUBMITTED TO SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER DEGREE IN ARCHAEOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY,, OKO HILL-TOP SETTLEMENTSITE,, KUTA AREA SHIRORO LOCAL GOVERNMENT,, NIGER STATE NIGERIA