At Unguja Ukuu, human activity transformed the coast of Zanzibar more than 1,000 years ago

Ania Kotarba, Alison Crowther, Mike Morley, Nicole Boivin

Research output: Contribution to specialist publicationArticle

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Abstract

The medieval settlement of Unguja Ukuu, on the Zanzibar Archipelago off the coast of Tanzania, was a key port in an extensive Indian Ocean trade network that linked eastern Africa, southern Arabia, India and Southeast Asia.

Our archaeological research shows how human activities between the seventh and twelfth centuries AD irreversibly modified the shoreline around the site. At first, these changes may have helped the trading settlement develop, but later they may have contributed to its decline and abandonment...
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages4
Specialist publicationThe Conversation
Publication statusPublished - 28 Feb 2022

Keywords

  • Unguja Ukuu
  • medieval settlements
  • Archaeology

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