Content uploaded by C. A. Folorunso
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by C. A. Folorunso on Jul 17, 2014
Content may be subject to copyright.
Revisiting old Oyo: Report on an interdisciplinary field
study
C.A. Folorunso, P.A. Oyelaran, B.J. Tubosun and P.G. Ajekigbe
Department of Archaeology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
[bayo_folorunso@yahoo.co.uk]
I. Introduction.
The site of Oyo Ile, the capital of the Old Oyo Empire located on latitude 80 N and longitude 40
19’ E in the extreme northwest of present-day Yorubaland of Nigeria, flourished in the 18th and
the 19th centuries (Fig. 1). The date for its final abandonment has not been fully established but
Europeans visited the site (Clapperton in 1829 and the Landers in 1832) in the nineteenth century.
It is therefore believed that it might have been abandoned some time around 1840. The site had
been the subject of archaeological investigations since 1938 (see Clarke, 1938a & b and 1939;
Walters, 1954; Willett, 1960 and 1962; Smith and Williams 1966; Soper, 1978; Soper and
Darling 1980; and Agbaje-Williams, 1981, 1983; 1986, and 1989, and 1990). The first person to
excavate on the site was Frank Willett in 1950-59, while Robert Soper conducted field schools for
the Archaeology Department at the University of Ibadan in the 1970s, and Agbaje-Williams did
fieldwork for his dissertation during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The present research, which
is multidisciplinary in nature, is therefore a re-visit of the site using more modern techniques that
were not available to archaeological field studies, particularly surveying, in the recent past.
Among the members of the research are two persons working on the site for their PhD
dissertations. One subject of study is the environmental archaeology of the site, while the other is
a further contribution to the archaeology of the site. This report presents some of the results of the
research activities carried out between 2002 and 2006, which include general mapping,
environmental studies, excavations and conservation works.
2
II. Mapping
The site of Oyo Ile had been mapped in the past (Soper & Darling, 1980) showing several
concentric defense walls. What are referred to as walls are actually embankments but researchers
had always referred to them as walls because it is believed that there were standing walls that had
collapsed to form the embankments. Such walls have been noted at Koso, which was also a
former capital of the kingdom. On the ground, we have identified three main concentric defense
walls - outer wall, main outer wall and the inner wall (palace wall). Our mapping is aimed at
establishing the course of the walls, positions of gates and other visible important natural and
cultural features using handheld Garmin 12 GPS receivers. The wall mapping was done by GPS
positioning with 50 metre intervals.
In the course of mapping the walls, we also made observations of other natural and
cultural features, which were recorded with the GPS. Potsherds, big pots, and grinding hollows
were observed almost everywhere within the main outer and inner walls (Fig 2). In the outer
sections, between the main outer wall and the outer wall, such findings were scattered. No iron
slag was found within the old Oyo site area. The artifacts generally suggest a predominantly
agricultural and food processing economy. In addition, the excavation sites within the wall and
the dried-up water reservoir were registered (Fig 3).
Fig. 2. Grinding hollows at Oyo Ile.
The walls consisted of two parts, namely a ditch and a mud wall. The man-made ditches
were often dug through a thick iron pan (laterite) showing a v-shaped form. The material dug-out
had in most cases been piled up as a wall on the inner side of the ditch. In some places the ditch
was barely visible while in other places it was up to 2 metres deep. The
ditch was not very distinct along the inner wall (palace wall) and in some places huge
boulders act as part of the wall. No standing walls were found during our mapping. A number of
gaps in the mud walls were observed. We considered some of the gaps to have been caused by
erosion while we classified others as entrances or gates. Stones placed at the base of the wall on
both sides of the opening characterized these gates. Apparently the stones were placed there to
support wooden gateposts. On the main outer wall in the northern section a circular stone
structure ca. 2 metres in diameter was observed on the ridge of the wall and very close to a gate.
During 2002 field season, the inner wall (palace wall) was mapped throughout its whole course,
ca 7.95 kilometres, which gives a total area of 3.57 square kilometres (363 ha) enclosed by the
wall. Thirteen (13) entrances/gates were identified and registered. In 2002, the outer and the main
3
outer walls were only mapped ca 200 metres on both sides of the intersections between the road
and the wall, while two kilometres course of one river was mapped. During field seasons in 2005
and 2006, sections of the main outer wall had been mapped and the exercise is to continue during
subsequent field seasons because of the long distance covered by the outer walls.
Fig. 3: GPS mapping of old Oyo inner wall
III Phosphate Testing
As result of the extent of the Old Oyo site, it is absolutely impossible to collect soil samples from
all over the site to test for phosphate, as such we intend to sample different sections of the site
over the coming years. In 2002, soil samples were taken in the eastern area close to the palace,
reservoir and supposed Akesan market place to test for phosphate, which will show the level of
human activities in the area. The total area is so huge that a 20-metre interval between the
samples is not manageable. Therefore sample-taking was spaced at 50-metre interval. Eighty-
three soil samples were taken at a depth of (or down to a depth of) about 15 centimetres. Places
with obvious erosion and/or deposition were avoided. Colours were classified using a Munsell
standard soil colour chart. Each sample was numbered and saved in a nylon bag for later
phosphate analysis in the laboratory. Co-ordinates were registered, which makes interpolation
possible with subsequent phosphate distribution mapping in a GIS-system.
The phosphate test on the soil samples collected so far has been done in the laboratory
using the Merck RQflex 2 instrument. The test has given indications of samples with low and
high phosphate content, and preliminary distribution map has been produced in the interim before
samples are collected from the remaining targeted section. The phosphate content is higher
around the supposed Akesan market place represented by the deeper colour on the map while it is
lower around the palace and this is represented by a lighter colour on the map (Fig 4). These
values are probably not surprising as higher level of human activities is expected in the market
place than in the palace. Our analysis seems therefore to confirm that the place identified as
Akesan market was actually a market place.
4
Fig. 4. Overview map showing phosphate values
IV Environmental Studies
The environmental archaeological component of the project, which is a subject of a Ph.D
dissertation is aimed at studying the relationships between the old Oyo populations and their
botanical environment. It entails a botanical, palaeobotanical, ethnobotanical and archaeological
study of the site and its environs. The objectives are, to:
i) obtain a quantitative record of the vegetation complex of the archaeological site.
ii) ascertain the characteristics of and therefore differences between (a) the vegetation
communities in the areas with evident indication of human occupation and (b) those
with little or no apparent evidence of occupation hence decipher the differences there
are between the two types.
iii) ascertain the status of the oil palm at the site, carry out a surface pollen analysis – a
crucial reference for interpreting the fossil pollen spectra,
iv) undertake a pollen macrobotanical analysis of selected archaeological sites, both
mounds and rock shelters, and
v) ascertain the present-day uses of indigenous plants.
In 2002, the quantitative vegetation analyses of four quadrants of 1m² and eight of 5m²
were carried out and soil samples were taken from an excavated trench at a former occupation site
(SI/SA OO PRJ 02/02), at intervals of 5-10 cm. Thirty-nine surface pollen samples were
collected, and interviews were conducted to ascertain the uses of some indigenous plants at the
5
Site. In 2004 the quantitative vegetation analyses of twenty-three quadrants were done. The
twenty-three quadrants were spread over sections of the site with 10 quadrants located between
the main outer wall and the inner wall, 7 quadrants within the inner wall, 2 quadrants within the
seasonal flooded area, 2 quadrants around the Agbaku River and 2 quadrants around the Iwa
River. Surface soil samples were taken from all the quadrants to be analysed for pollen samples.
Soil sample was also collected from the Agbaku River using the hiller sampler to take a 50cm
core.
The overall vegetation of the site is savanna woodland with (i) occurrence of typical
Guinea savanna trees and shrubs; (ii) trees rather densely spaced; (iii) habit of trees more like
forest than typical savanna; (iv) occurrence of very thick lianes, notably Cissus populnea (Àjàrà)
and Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Ẹlú); (v) total absence of grasses in some parts (e.g. at Site 2);
(vi) occurrence of Borassus aethiopum (fan palm), coupled with the absence of Elaeis guineensis
(oil palm) – later found only in seasonally flooded area. Former settlement sites have a vegetation
which is distinct from the overall Site vegetation in the following major respects: (i) occurrence
of numerous baobab trees, (ii) abundance of the aroid, Anchomanes difformis, (iii) impenetrable
thickets of the spiny shrub, Acacia ataxacantha, (iv) common occurrence of Cissus populnea and
(v) unusual total absence of grasses at Site 2.
The baobab trees are of different girths, indicative of different ages. Efforts will be made
to estimate actual ages of the trees via tree ring counts to establish if they postdate the settlement
or otherwise.
V Excavations
Excavations had been carried out in three different sections of the site since 2002 to date. In 2002,
test pit excavations were carried out within the inner wall (palace wall) and the main outer wall
and the objective was to compare the nature of the cultural sequence in the two areas. Two test
pits were located within the inner wall and the first one, designated SI/SA OO PRJ 02/01 was
about 100 metres north of the spot excavated in 1981 by Agbaje-Williams. The site is located
close to the western section of the inner wall (see figures 3 and 4). The excavation pit measured 2
metres by 1 metre. There was no material collected at the surface and the deposit of the first spit
level, 0 – 26 cm contained very few materials. A larger number of potsherds and some charcoal
were recovered from the second spit level, 26 – 36 cm compared to the first spit level. The
quantity of materials was greatly reduced in spit level 4, 46 – 56 cm while spit level 5, 56 – 66
cm was sterile and the excavation was closed. The second test pit designated SI/SA OO PRJ 02/3
was sited at the western side of the Amukoko inselberg at about 250 metres northeast of the first
excavation (SI/SA OO PRJ 02/1). Visible in the area were occupation mounds of courtyard
houses, remains of mud walls of houses and high concentration of potsherd scatter. The test pit
was located at a spot with heavy concentration of potsherds and it initially measured 2 metres by
1 metre but was extended to 2 by 2 metres when at the depth of 40 cm there was the need to
uncover pots in the eastern wall. The test pit yielded a number of complete earthen vessels and
attained a depth of over 1 metre. The sterile layer was not reached before it was closed and it
would be re-excavated in future.
The third excavation during the 2002 field season was designated trial pit and was located
on a spot outside the main outer wall to test the deposit for evidence of human activities. There
was no material at the surface. The pit measured 1 by 1 metre. Right from the surface there was
no material recovered until the depth of 13 cm. A total of five pieces of potsherds were retrieved
from the depth of between 13 cm and 40 cm. The trial pit was abandoned at the depth of 50 cm
when the deposit became very hard and contained no materials.
The fourth excavation was located within the main outer wall on a spot with one large pot
6
and a large potsherd half way buried in the ground. It measures 2 by 2 metres to enclose the pots
and it was designated SI/SA OO PRJ 02/02. This excavation was located in a general area made
up of ridges of occupational mounds, which are the result of collapsed mud walls of courtyard
houses. The excavation attained a depth of 1.25 metres before the sterile layer was reached. The
test pit was extended at the northern section to retrieve some pots embedded in the section. One
large ceramic plate made of white clay was found in the excavation and trekking along one of the
riverbeds, the probable source of the raw material was located at two kilometres downstream
below the iron pan (laterite). It consists of a quartzite and a kaolin clay accumulation in the
eroded river cutting.
Two occupation levels were identified and were demarcated by a floor, which was
uncovered the depth of 40 cm below the ground surface. The stratigraphic sections of the western
and eastern walls were drawn. The former presents the layering of soil from the identified floor to
the sterile layer, which represents the first occupation level while the latter presents the picture
from the ground surface to the sterile layer.
In 2004, another spot within the area of the occupational mounds and about 50 metres
north of SI/SA OO PRJ 02/2 was excavated. The test pit measured 2 by 1 metres and it produced
the evidence of the remains of standing house wall, which gave credence to the fact that the
mounds were the results of collapsed house walls.
In 2006, site SI/SA OO PRJ 02/2 was revisited and a test pit of 2 by 1.5 metres was
excavated as an extension of the initial excavation to the west. More earthen vessels were
uncovered and the floor of the house was identified at the depth of about 40 cm. The earthen
vessels were sitting on the house floor (Fig 5). Digging below the house floor level revealed no
cultural layer. This was in sharp contrast to the earlier excavation at the eastern portion where
further cultural layers were dug below the house floor level. The stratigraphic section of the
southern wall shows the noted contrast.
Fig. 5. Site SI/SA OO PRJ 02/2 : vessels on house floor
During our recent field season (2006), the Agbaku Rockshelter and the adjoining areas
were mapped and test-excavated. The rockshelter is located outside the outer wall to the south of
the Old Oyo site. The excavation at the adjoining area of the rockshelter revealed the occurrence
7
of a potsherd pavement (fig 6). The structure of the pavement is different from what is known
about pavement in the archaeology of Yorubaland. The sherds were laid flat as against laying the
sherds on their edges as found at reported sites at Ife, Ilesha, Ila Orangun, etc. The discovery of
this type of potsherd pavement at Old Oyo invalidates the claim of Ogunfolakan (2006) that the
flat laid potsherd pavement is associated with sandy coastal areas as found in Republic of Togo.
The excavation in the rockshelter yielded few cultural materials, which are being studied. The
materials include few potsherds from the upper layers and suspected lithic artifacts. The nature of
the materials does not suggest intensive occupation.
Fig. 6. Agbaku Rockshelter potsherd pavement.
VI. Cultural Materials
The materials retrieved from our excavations were mainly pottery and some grinding stones. As
noted in the excavation report, several complete pottery vessels and large fragments of vessels
were collected. Though we have started looking at the pottery materials in terms of decorative
motifs and their prevalence, our main interest is to attempt conservation works on the fragments
of pots to arrive at the typology of vessel forms instead of depending on rim forms. This is an
exercise that should be done painstakingly and postgraduate students are working on the materials
as part of their training in pottery conservation. So far we have identified pottery vessels on the
basis of size as large, medium and small. The large vessels are big storage pot, while the medium
size vessels are cooking pots of various shapes, some with lids, and frying dishes, and the small
vessels consist of lamps, bowls, some with lids, and flat plates. The pottery were obviously of
local made and the source of clay a particular vessel of whitish colour was located along a stream
on the site.
VII. Chronology
We have so far obtained two radiocarbon dates for the 2002 excavation at site SI/SA OO PRJ
02/2. The earliest of the date is 520 ± 50 and calibrated to AD 1403 (1418) 1433 (CSIR Pta-9339)
and it was obtained from a charcoal collected a depth of 105 cm in an ashy layer overlying the
8
sterile layer at the bottom of the excavation pit. The second date was obtained from charcoal
collected from a depth of 40 cm, which was just above the identified house floor and is 300 ± 45,
calibrated to AD 1513 – 1593, 1620 (1637) 1651 (CSIR Pta-9352).
On one hand, the excavations of Soper in the 1970s produced two radiocarbon dates, the
earliest was 1100 ± 110 AD (HAR 1890) and the second was 1300 ± 80 AD (HAR 1891)
(Calvocoressi, D. and David N. 1979). On the hand, the excavations of Agbaje-Williams in the
1980s produced four radiocarbon dates and they were 765 ± 90 AD (1. 12,345), 790 ± 90 AD
(1.12,353), 1050 ± 80 AD (1.12,343) and 1140 ± 80 AD (1.12,342) (Agbaje-Williams B. 1986).
So far, Agbaje-Williams has provided the earliest dates for Old Oyo spanning from
around 765 AD to around 1140 AD. The two dates provided by Soper are also earlier than the
two we obtained from our excavations. It however be noted that while the excavations by Soper
and Agbaje-Williams were located within the inner wall (palace wall), ours was located within
the main outer wall.
Conclusion
This report is preliminary as we continue to work on the field and in the laboratory. We hope to
continue to update the report as our work progresses. It is our hope that archaeological research at
old Oyo would continue for a long time to come. It is an extensive site with promises for all sorts
of investigations.
References:
Agbaje-Williams, B. (1981) Recent Archaeological work at Old Oyo 1978-81, Nyame Akuma 19 :
9-11.
Agbaje-Williams, B. (1983) A contribution to the Archaeology of Old Oyo. Ph.D. Thesis,
Department of Archaeology, University of Ibadan.
Agbaje-Williams, B. (1986) New Dates from Old Oyo, African Notes 10 (1) : 1-3
Agbaje-Williams, B (1989) The Discovery of Koso, an ancient Oyo Settlement. Nigerian Field
54 : 123-127.
Agbaje-Williams, B. (1990) Northwest Yorubaland, Project for Tourism Development and
Research. West African Journal of Archaeology 20 : 136-140.
Clapperton, H. (1929) Journal of a second expedition into the interior of Africa from the Bight of
Benin to Soccatoo, London
Clarke, J.D. (1938a) Carved Posts at Old Oyo. Nigerian magazine 15 : 248
Clarke, J.D. (1938b) A visit to Old Oyo. Nigerian Field 7 : 138-143.
Clarke, J.D. (1939) Ancient Pottery from Old Oyo. Nigerian Magazine 18 : 109.
Lander, R. & J. (1832) Journal of an expedition to explore the course and termination of the
Niger. London.
Smith, R. & D. Williams (1966) A Reconnaissance visit to Oyo-Ile. Odu Second Series 3(1) : 56-
60.
Soper, R.C. (1978) Carved Posts from Oyo-Ile. Nigerian Field 43(1) : 12-21.
Soper, R.C. & P. Darling (1980) The Walls of Oyo-Ile. West African Journal of Archaeology 10 :
61-81.
Walters, R.G. (1954) A vist to Old Oyo Nigerian Magazine 44 : 346-9.
9
Willett, F. (1960) Investigations at Old Oyo, 1950-59. An Interim Report Journal of Historical
Society of Nigeria 2(1) : 59-77.
Willett, F. (1962) Microlithic Industry from Old Oyo, Western Nigeria. Acte de IVè Congrès
Panafricain de préhistoire et l’étude du Quaténaire 3 : 261-72. Tervuren.
