People, Pots, Words and Genes: Multiple sources and recon-structions of the transition to food production in eastern Africa

Abstract

This chapter provides a review of the currently available archaeological evidence relating to the transition to food production in eastern Africa, and some of the supporting linguistic and genetic evidence. In broad terms, livestock herding preceded crop cultivation in the region, with an initial emphasis on sheep and goats, commencing around 4500 to 5000 years ago. By around 3000 years ago, full-blown pastoralist societies with an emphasis on cattle herding occupied much of the savannah areas. From ca. 2500 year ago, metal using farming communities, practicing hoe cultivation of roots crops and cereals were also present, interacting with both pastoralist and autochthonous hunting-gathering-fishing communities. These interactions gave rise to diverse ethnic mosaic, alongside extensive genetic and linguistic exchanges.