Early Iron Age Pottery Types from East Africa: Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Summary The Early Iron Age in East Africa is represented by two major related pottery types, Urewe ware (originally called Dimple-based ware) and Kwale ware, while a third collection from Lelesu in central Tanzania has clear similarities to both. This article provides a detailed typological comparison between representative collections of the three types and defines their differences and similarities, concluding that the Lelesu collection is typologically intermediate between Urewe and Kwale, though its closest relationships are with the latter.