East Africa and Madagascar in the Indian Ocean world

摘要: The Indian Ocean has long been a forum for contact, trade and the transfer of goods, technologies ideas between geographically distant groups people. Another, less studied, outcome expanding maritime connectivity in region is translocation range species plants animals, both domestic wild. A significant number these translocations can now be seen to involve Africa, either providing or receiving species, suggesting that Africa’s role emergence an increasingly connected world deserves more systematic consideration. While earliest international contacts with East African coast remain poorly understood, part due paucity archaeobotanical zooarchaeological studies, some evidence early coastal activity provided by discovery hunter-gatherer sites on offshore islands, and, possibly, wild animals among them mainland. From seventh century, however, clear participation emerges, form introduced including commensal agricultural crops. New genetic studies demonstrate flow complex, than one source frequently indicated. Madagascar appear have centres admixture, drawing upon Southeast Asian, South Asian Middle Eastern varieties, sometimes yielding unique hybrid species. biological patterns reflect deeply networked contact situation, support key events transformations world.