Zamfara: Epic of the pots (II)

Aminu Dan Kwangila, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Zamfara  State, says that the team of Archaeologists  from ABU did not write to the state government, asking for permission to take the large pot to Zaria. His words “There is no written letter from the archaeologists to the state government, but the state government intended […]

Aminu Dan Kwangila, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Zamfara  State, says that the team of Archaeologists  from ABU did not write to the state government, asking for permission to take the large pot to Zaria. His words “There is no written letter from the archaeologists to the state government, but the state government intended to bring the pot to Gusau. Because they had shown interest, I reported the matter to the Acting Governor at that time. He  gave us the go ahead, saying  that when they return to Zamfara, we should allow them to go ahead. All we want is a statement from them that they have taken or wish to take  the pot.Up till this moment they have not turned up.” M.K Aliyu however  says that the team did write the state government on its wish to convey the pot to Zaria for further analysis, but he had not provided a copy of the letter by the time we were going to press.
The commissioner points out that the related case of the destroyed pot is now with the police at the Kwatarkwashi police station, and  stresses  that an arrest has been made. Hear him “We went to report the villagers, and an arrest had  been made at that time.The police are still investigating the matter.” He denies that the government was negligent in handling the matter of the pots which got broken. His words “We were not negligent. I disagree.Definitely, the  effort of recovering the pot, was really the effort of the government. The Archaeologists who came from Zaria, didn’t know the position, or  the whereabouts of the pot. Its the government’s  effort that really helped them.” Finally, he adds “The communication gap between the archaeologists and the state government led to the destruction of the pot.” On the possibility that  the site which still has a number of pots  within it could be violated by artefact thieves, he says “No, the site is guarded. There is a District Head, as well as the Vigilante in the area. So the place is secured. No one will be able to tamper with the pots.”
 The Director of the Zamfara state  History Bureau was out of the country when Daily Trust visited. The Commissioner of Culture says that the Bureau certainly has its challenges, and stresses  that it  is well funded. He points to ongoing construction projects in the state at a number of historical sites  which are worth  40 million Naira. He  also  speaks fondly of Kwatarkwashi rock and the government’s plan to have a cable car system installed  there. It will convey visitors from one rock mass to another, and a tourists village will flourish at the base of the rock.The Kwatarkwashi rock itself  has  already  been named a state monument.
Significance of pots
One  afternoon we visit Gulubba, the site where  the pots where found. Sanusi Gusau points  to the rim of a pot, which is quite visible in the ground ,and is enthusiastic that more pots can be found in the area. He adds that pots are  occasionally  found in neighbouring  farms. He also thinks that the pots might have belonged to a dyeing industry which once flourished in Gulluba. He explains “The ash colour of the soil found here is indicative of a dyeing industry.’ Revealing an understanding of the architecture of dye pits, he says “The pots so far discovered were found at the edge of the dye pit. If we move towards the centre of the pit,where there is usually greater activity in normal circumstances, we are likely to find more pots.”  

Aliyu Isa sheds light on the significance of ash coloured soil in the area. His words “The ash coloured texture of the soil indicates that it may be the residue of substances used in the process of dyeing, which are removed from the pot when they decay. Then the dyers make another fresh solution. Such ash coloured substances always litter an area where dyeing has taken place.”
Dye industry
Professor Yusuf  Adamu also  comments on the significance of the  pots. According to him “The pots could have been part of a dyeing industry, but they could have had another purpose. Those pots could have been used for dyeing purposes, or they could have had a defensive function  for the people in those days. For  instance,in the past certain powerful  charms could have been put in the pot, and  it will then be buried in the ground. It was widely  believed that this would  serve  as a protection for the house and for the community.
 Aliyu Isa sheds light on the significance of the pots. According to him “The Zamfara pots are bigger than the Sao pots of Chad. If you compare their sizes, height as well as the width, they are much bigger.Even  the nature of their construction is not the same. The Sao type has an enlarged belly, the body is more extruded  than the one at Zamfara. The Zamfara pots are slimmer and taller, when compared to the Sao type of pots.”
Sanusi Gusau says that there are at least five dye pits at Gulubba,and that only one of these has been explored by archaeologists. More of these  giant pots are likely to be found when archaeologists venture into the other four dye  pits,he adds enthusiastically. On the Kwatarkwashi pots Aliyu Isa also comments in a recent proposal “Gigantic pots recently discovered in one of the sites have not been previously found in the archaeological record of the entire northern Nigeria region. Speculations  are that they were used for traditional dyeing in the area. Archaeological record of these pots will certainly fill the gap on the economic base of Kwatarkwashi, apart from agriculture among the people that used them.”
Largest  pots in Africa?
Hitherto, the largest pots in Africa were the Sao pots which were found in Chad as well as in Cameroon. On this M. K Aliyu  says “The largest  pots  that we have in Africa,come  from Chad,but  these pots that we have in Gulubba are larger than even those ones. So, we realised that those pots that we have excavated could be the largest pots that you can find anywhere in Africa. They  are unique,” M.K Aliyu emphasises.

He adds “The pots in  the Lake Chad area  are large pots.As students of Archeology, we know them as the largest pots in Africa. From the measurements and even the picture that we saw, we made comparisons. These ones in Gulubba are larger than those pots. The ones from Chad and Cameroon are less than a metre high. But these ones in Gulubba are more than a metre high, and  about 1 metre in diametre. The others in Chad and Cameroon are less than a metre in diametre.”
Aliyu  Isa is of the opinion that the culture which produced the pots at Zamfara, may be earlier than that of Sao. His words “oral tradition holds that the site at Zamfara was first inhabited 6,000 years ago. Sites which are close to Zamfara yielded stone tools belonging to the Late Stone Age period which ended 10,000 years ago. But the Sao pots date from the 14th century AD. The Zamfara pots are obviously older.”
 A race of giants  
Whenever historical objects  of unusual size are found, people soon begin to speak of a race of giants,  as being the authors of such objects. Do the pots owe their origin to a race of giants? M.K Aliyu says that the fact that giant pots exist, does not immediately suggest a  human population made up of giants, or  extremely tall persons, who could have made the pots. His words “From  the studies of pots all over the world, giant  pots do not necessarily indicate a  population of giants. Some pots I once saw in Greece were used  for storage purposes. Some were as high as 1.5 metres, and kept in a kind of magazine, the way you arrange bullets in a gun. Large pots could also mean that the pots were used for storage purposes. It could also suggest that the pots were used for dyeing purposes. For instance, instead of digging just a pit, they could make a pot and put same underground. But we have not found out exactly what the pots wre used for, but it seems that they were used either for dyeing or for storage purposes.’Aliyu Isa adds that from the oral tradition gathered there was no hint of a race of giants in the Kwatarkwashi area. His words “From the oral traditions gathered there is no reference to giants in the Kwatarkwashi area. We are not sure that that the finds in the area were made by the current inhabitants, because the people don’t seem to know anything about these finds, like  the pots for instance.
‘Zamfara, Paradise for archaeologists’
The whole of Zamfara State has been described as a ‘paradise for archaeologists’. This is also because of the abundance of historical remains in the state, and the occasional finds that are made, which sometimes occur  in the course of farming. Slowly, the  exciting  history of this part of Nigeria is being gently reconstructed through the diligent efforts of Historians and Archaeologists. Sanusi Gusau says that less than a fraction of  what the state possesses in terms of relics and historical sites, have been explored. His  words, “We have not covered one third of the priceless antiquities in the state.”
Aliyu Isa opines that “research (at Kwatarkwashi) is justified by the fact that Kwatarkwashi seems to be isolated on the archaeological map of West Africa… Scholars have long been calling for substantial archaeological research in the area to uncover its history in the face of destruction by human activities.”  

It is not only Kwatarkwashi that has been isolated, but the whole state, which boasts of fascinating sites, such as Queen Amina’s fort at Kuyambana, Dutsi, and many other places that are rich in history and traditions.
The way forward
Musa Hambolu, Director, Research at the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) says that the commission is working towards entering into a Tripartite relationship with the Ahmadu Bello University, as well as the Zamfara state government, to rescue the remaining pots at the site. According to him  sensitization efforts are regularly done  by the NCMM to communities across  the country, raising awareness about historical sites and relics. On a positive note  Aminu Dan Kwangila has also said that as soon as the Archaeologists return to Zamfara to resume work at the sites at Gulubba, they will be allowed to take the pots to the Ahmadu Bello University, once the formal documentation relating to the pots has been done.
Has Gulubba entered its golden hour?
Concluded.