TRADE AND ECONOMIES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA: THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE*

Abstract

when large-scale political systems (states) began to emerge. The period covered fallswithin what has been termed the Iron Agein Southern and Eastern Africa,atechnological term which is generally used to describe a culture systemcharacterized not only by the use of iron for various purposes but also bythe building ofsemi-permanent villages, the making ofsimilarly decoratedceramic vessels, at least before