Identifying Zulu military (Amakhanda) settlements in the archaeological record

Abstract

A common cultural practice within southern Africa is the organisation of youths as part of an initiation ceremony. Literature refers to this practice as regimental groups, age regimental groups, age sets or simply as age groupings (Kuper 1954, 1986; Hughes 1956; Hoernlé 1962; Omer-Cooper 1966; Laband 1995; Knight 1995). After the period of aggression among the northern Nguni of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a new version of the regimental system had developed. A key component of the new system was the military settlement, which acted as an administrative centre in addition to providing regimental housing. Called amakhanda (sing. ikhanda), each community had its own architectural and socio-demographic organisation. Amakhanda were built in close association with traditional family homesteads (imizi). The close proximity and physical similarities between these two settlement types makes it difficult to distinguish them apart in the archaeological record. This study therefore examines the archaeological signature of each settlement form in order to determine whether or not it can be distinguished from any other within the archaeological record. This was done by examining and comparing the size, function and cultural material deposition of each settlement type. It was found that differences existed in the size of the central enclosure, the number and placement of huts, along with different faunal and cultural material assemblages. It emerges that these two settlements were sufficiently distinct in their function so that they represent unique features and material signatures that can be used to distinguish them in the archaeological record.