Legon makes archaeological discoveries at Katamanso

Katamanso (Greater Accra), 12 Feb '99 - The Archaeology Department of the University of Ghana has made some archaeological discoveries in the Pinkwae forest, near Katamanso, where the Ashantis and the Ga-Adangbes supported by the British fought the historic battle of 1826. The discoveries included ancient pots abandoned by the Ashanti army, a metal box containing a pair of scissors, a sword and several beads, which suggests that the site was once the house of a rich person or an ancestral chief. Also found at another site were a bowl with the date 1800 inscribed on it, human teeth, fishing hook, a coil of copper wire, old gin bottles and a lot of coins of the early 19th century. Dr Kodzo Gavua, a lecturer at the Department said the discovery suggests that the place was once used for a kind of worship or African traditional religion. Dr Gavua, who led 30 final year Archaeology students of the department for a 10-day practical archaeological work said trenches used by the Ga- Adangbes for guerrilla wars against the Ashantis are still present. Nii Otu Akwettey the Ninth, chief of Katamanso is also in possession of some old pipes, slave chains and metal pellets used in the war. The "Nkotoso" tree under which the Ga-Adangbes gathered and drank fetish concoctions, swore their oath and prayed to their gods to help defeat the Ashantis is still standing. Dr Gavua said the items found will be sent to the University for further research after which they would be returned to Katamanso and displayed in a museum, which the chief has agreed to set up. The Department has also started mapping out the battle field as part of its plans to provide detailed information to boost tourism. Dr Gavua said results of the research work will be vital to the slave route project being sponsored by the UNDP since the Katamanso war in which the Ashantis supported by the Ga Adangbes were defeated, was the last war fought along the coast before the end of slavery. The war saw the British using rockets for the first time in the country. Dr Gavua said his department has plans to study the area and other historical sites further but it is faced with the problem of funds and appealed for support for archaeological research adding "with proper funding archaeology can also bring food to the table". The Departmant's work was sponsored by Nestle Ghana Limited, Fan Ice Limited, Legon Archaeology Students Association and Nii Otu Akwettey, Katamanso Mantse. Miss Beatrice Naa Afieye Ashong, Member of Parliament for Kpone Katamanso in a speech, read on her behalf, urged the people to initiate plans to make Katmanso a tourists centre, reminding them that the government will embrace such a project. She suggested to the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council and the Tema Municipal Assembly to institute an annual festival at Katamanso, where all the chiefs and people in the region will converge to celebrate the victory of the Katamanso war. Miss Ashong said such a festival should be used to appraise the developmental needs of the people in the region, plan new projects and discuss how to finance them. GRi..../