'n Rekonstruksie van geelkoperbewerking by Mgungundlovu

Abstract

The theme forms part of a larger research project on Mgungundlovu with the purpose to establish and develop a Provincial Site Museum. During surveys of the site three different smithing areas were located. Mgungundlovu is situated in the Makhosini valley in Zululand. The valley forms part of the greater White Mfolozi drainage system. Mgungundlovu was the residence of the Zulu king Dingane and was occupied from 1829 to 1838. During this period the king controlled most of the area between the present day Transkei in the south and Delagoa Bay in the north. Trade was conducted with the Portuguese at the Bay where brass and other goods were traded, primarily with ivory, and transported to Mgungundlovu by Tsonga carriers. The king exercised strict control over the trade, production and distribution of brass. Smiths were compelled to work at the royal homestead where they manufactured prestige ornaments which consisted mainly of arm and neck rings and beads. These were distributed to the Zulu elite under close royal supervision as well as to the warriors as special awards. An interdisciplinary method was adopted in that archaeological, ethnographical and historiographical sources were consulted. Very little information exists in any one particular source. Data occurs scattered in the literature and museum documents and no other copper smithing site has been excavated to date. The aim is therefore to summarize the existing data and excavate the smithing areas at Mgungundlovu in order to acquire new data with regard to brass smithing and site utilization. Attention is given to the history of brass, the nature and source of the brass at Mgungundlovu, status of the smith in society, the smithing process, the periods during which the different sites were in operation and the distribution and function of brass ornaments. No specific theoretical approach was followed. The primary aim is to interpret the information and to make a descriptive reconstruction of a process that no longer exists. It should also have a museological application within the overall objectives of the Mgungundlovu research project. A theo~etical model of the distribution network of brass in the social hierarchy, based on the social structure of Mgungundlovu, is proposed by means of a diagrammatical representation.

Die onderwerp varm deel van 'n grater navarsingsprajek aar Mgungundlovu met die oog op die vestiging en ontwikkeling van 'n Provinsiale Terreinmuseum. Terreinapnames vir die prajek het aan die lig gebring dat daar anderskeidelik drie geelkaperbewerkingsareas op die terrein vaarkam. Mgungundlovu is in Zululand gelee in ‘n gebied wat bekend staan as die Makhasinivallei, ‘n deel van die grater Wit Mfalazidreineringsisteem. Dit was die haofsetel van die Zulukoning Dingane en is vir die periode 1829 tot 1838 bewoon. Gedurende die tydperk het die Zulukoning beheer uitgeoefen oor ‘n gebied wat strek vanaf die hedendaagse Transkei in die suide tot Delagoabaai in die noorde. Lewendige handel is met die Partugese te Delagoabaai gevoer, o.a in geelkoper wat van die Portugese geruil is vir hoofsaaklik ivoor en deur Tsongadraers na Mgungundlovu vervoer is. Die koning het streng beheer oor die handel in gelkoper asook die produksie en verspreiding van geelkopervoorwerpe uitgeoefen. Kopersmede was verplig om by die koninklike nedersettings hul bedryf te beoefen waar hulle prestigevoorwerpe, hoofsaaklik arm- en nekringe en krale vervaardig het. Sodanige voorwerpe is onder beheer van die koning na die Zulu-elite versprei en ook vir verdienstelikheid aan die krygers toegeken. 'n Interdissiplinere werksmetode is gevolg deurdat argeologiese, etnografiese en historiografiese bronne benut is. Daar is tot op hede nog geen ander argeologiese ondersoek na geelkoperbewerking gedoen nie. Inligting oor die onderwerp kom verspreid in die literatuur en museumbronne voor. Die oogmerk van die studie is eerstens om 'n samevatting van alle inligting in die literatuur en ander dokumentere bronne te maak. Tweedens is die smidsterreine by Mgungundlovu argeologies ondersoek met die doel om bestaande inligting te bevestig en aan te vul en ook om nuwe data met betrekking tot geelkoperbewerking en tereinbenutting by Mgungundlovu te bekom. Aandag word geskenk aan die geskiedenis van geelkoper, die aard en herkoms van die geelkoper by Mgungundlovu, die posisie en status van die kopersmid in die gemeenskap, die bewerkingsproses, die bedryfsperiodes van die smidswerke en die distribusie van geelkoper met inbegrip van die funksie en waarde daarvan. Geen bepaalde teoretiese benadering word gevolg nie. Die primere doel van die studie is om die inligting te interpreteer en 'n beskrywende rekonstruksie te maak van 'n proses wat vandag nie meer bestaan nie, naamlik geelkoperbewerking, wat binne die oorhoofse doelwitte van die Mgungundlovu-navorsingsprojek ook van museologiese toepassingswaarde sal wees. 'n Teoretiese model vir die distribusie van geelkoper in die sosiale hierargie van die Zulu, gegrond op die sosiale struktuur van Mgungundlovu, word diagrammaties aangebied.