The Evolution of Africa’s Archaeological Eras

Archaeologist Tim Forssman’s new book divides the history of African archaeology into four phases: the early years, the emergence of the discipline, its coming of age, and the discipline’s diaspora across the continent. During the late 19th century, which Forssman classifies as the early years, European colonial officials, missionaries, museum employees, and travelers dominated archaeological work, often focusing on collecting rather than analysis. By the early 20th century, professional methods emerged, although archaeology remained influenced by false colonial theories about Africa’s history. After World War II, technologies such as radiocarbon dating transformed the field, including research on Nigeria’s ancient terracotta heads that challenged assumptions about the continent’s civilizations. From the 1960s, African communities increasingly became participants and sources of knowledge, shifting attention toward local agency and everyday life. Forssman argues the field still relies too heavily on European and North American researchers and calls for greater African-led capacity, laboratories, and training. He warns that climate change and looting threaten heritage sites across the continent, from Nigeria’s terracotta statues to East Africa’s UNESCO World Heritage sites facing flooding risk.