Homesteads in two rural communities: an ethnoarchaeological investigation

Abstract

Archaeological research on second millennium AD agriculturist communities in Natal has sought to gain insights into built settlement patterns as well as their interactions with the natural environment. The research has shown that the anthropological literature on Zulu homesteads is inadequate for purposes of archaeological interpretation in various respects; for example there is little consideration for the range of possible variations or for quantitative or chronological parameters. We attempt in this paper to supply a suitable data base for comparison with the archaeological results. We also examine possible links between different characteristics of the contemporary homesteads, comparing two samples from different rural areas within KwaZulu. An attempt is made to interpret the observed patterns in terms of social, economic and environmental factors affecting these communities today, as well as to relate the patterns to the archaeological evidence of precolonial settlements.

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