Iwo Eleru

A rock shelter in the forest zone of southwestern Nigeria which has yielded the longest dated sequence of microlithic artifacts found in West Africa. Occupation was established by 12,000 years ago and the chipped stone industry continued for as long as 8000 years with only minor changes. From the lowest horizon a human burial, described as showing Negroid physical features, was recovered and it is the oldest Nigerian skeleton yet uncovered. In about the mid-4th millennium ground stone artifacts and pottery came into use. There is some evidence for the beginning of agriculture around that time.

A rock shelter in the forest zone of southwestern Nigeria which has yielded the longest dated sequence of microlithic industries yet investigated in West Africa. Occupation was established by the 10th millennium be and the chipped stone industry continued for as long as 8000 years with only minor discernible changes. From the lowest horizon a human burial, described as showing negroid physical features, was recovered. In about the mid-4th millennium ground stone artefacts and pottery came into use. It is tempting to suggest that some forms of food production may have been practised by this time, but the evidence for this is restricted to the appearance of microliths bearing edgegloss or ‘sickle sheen’ such as may be caused through use to harvest grasses. Further research is needed to illustrate the beginnings of food production in the West African forests, especially the cultivation of yams and other non-cereal crops.