The Human Contribution to Local History Through the Development of Rock Shelters in the Adamawa Region

Abstract

Ngan-Ha is an arrondissement in the Adamawa region, located about a hundred kilometers from Ngaoundéré, on the edge of the Mbéré department and that of Mayo Raye. The area contains several archaeological sites located on plains, mountains, caves and rock shelters. Raoul Gormoaya’s rock shelter has experienced human attendance as evidenced by the material culture harvested in situ. The ceramic furniture consists of shards whose average thickness corresponds to small vases, generally intended for cooking food. Speaking oflithic remains, we see that more than half of the remains (68%) refers to hunting instruments, the manufacturing process of which shows that they were made using debitage and shaping techniques. The rest is made up of grinding material, shown at 32%, with a smooth surface which results from polishing. In regards toplant macroremains in particular, we note that they belong to tree species suitable for human consumption, the components of which intervene in daily life. We can from the above suggest that the Rock Shelter has indeed been occupied by men in a context probably marked by insecurity. The quality of the lithic artefacts associated with the macrorests collected suggests that the main activity of the site’s inhabitants was hunting and gathering, notwithstanding the fact that they cooked. The evocation of a chronology would be completely inappropriate, in the absence of an absolute dating. However, clues such as the presence of bifaces, a chopper, the use of ceramics and the control of fire suggest that the shelter was occupied at least during the Neolithic.