SYMBOLISM AND THE SOCIAL CONTEXTS OF IRON PRODUCTION IN KARAGWE

Technology is intrinsically rooted within social contexts. Archaeologi cal approaches which do not take this into account fail to fully under stand technology. The social contexts of iron production are examined at Igurwa, an iron-smelting centre within Karagwe, a nineteenth-centur y African kingdom. At different levels within the society, power was d erived from the control and manipulation of technical and ritual knowl edge of iron production. Men excluded women, iron-working clans exclud ed other clans and the king attempted to maintain control over iron wo rkers by the use of ritual religion and symbolism. Control of iron pro duction was essential because of its economic importance but more impo rtantly because of the symbolic dangers associated with smelting which threatened the fertility of the state.