Archaeology in Mozambique

Foundational milestones: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, 1974-1985

Blog Post 28 November 2025

[Draft waiting for feedback from colleagues at the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology (DAA), Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique, my first working post. The text is intended to be used as 'institutional memory' to be incorporated in a larger text in commemoration of DAA's 'Golden Jubilee']

- 1973-1975: To carry out scientific rescue work at the Massingir Dam site the first national Archaeological Unit is established by Prof. G. Soares de Carvalho at the Department of Earth Sciences, Instituto de Investigação Científica de Moçambique (IICM) and a research report made available (Memórias IICT,10-B, 1974). The Archaeological Unit includes Teresa Cruz e Silva, Ricardo and Maria da Luz T. Duarte, João Morais, all involved with the Massingir project; and briefly J. Senna Martinez [1] before leaving the country in 1976. Professor Revil Mason provided valuable encouragement and guidance from Wits where Duarte and Morais carry out comparative studies of archaeological collections during a two-month scholarship.

- 1975: As part of a revamped History Course curriculum, Ricardo T. Duarte and João Morais are appointed junior lecturers of African Prehistory at the History Department, Faculty of Arts, where Teresa Cruz e Silva also lectures from 1976, in parallel with her active work at the Archaeological Unit.

- 1976: Ricardo and Maria da Luz T. Duarte take charge of the Nampula Museum where they pioneer the organisation of Mozambique’s National Museums and Antiquities Services and several archaeological surveys in the Province. The Archaeological Unit at IICM assistes some of their work with specific capacity-building tasks in support of the new ‘Agentes de Cultura’ (district culture delegates).

- 1976: Under the leadership of Aquino de Bragança the African Studies Centre (CEA) is founded at IICM. The Archaeological Unit is placed under CEA’s administration, with João Morais as head of Unit, taking over the premisses of IICM’s Earth Sciences department [I trust still DAA’s present location]. The emerging archaeological ‘vision’ of the Unit is that it must contribute to the new nation's requirements of (i) a knowledge-based historical identity (ii) proper school learning and (iii) wider public cultural awareness. To that effect several initiatives are launched from promoting regular news in the media to assisting the Post Office services with the printing of postage stamps displaying archaeological sites. And following up on the vision, a specific ‘mission’ is outlined setting the goals and objectives for a groundbreaking archaeological survey programme devoted to gradually reveal the richness of Mozambique’s precolonial past (for a detailed description of the undertaking see J. Morais, The Early Farming Communities of Southern Mozambique, 1988: 48-58). To this effect, among other initiatives, important work is done by T. Cruz e Silva at Matola and products of the emerging investigation made available in a collection of articles (c.f. J.Morais, Prehistoric Research in Moçambique: the earlier research, the present projects, plans and proposals, 1976) which includes reports from T. Cruz e Silva, R. Duarte and J. Senna Martinez).

- 1977: with agreement from director Aquino de Bragança and rector Fernando Ganhão — on the grounds of non-complementary agendas — the governance of the Archaeological Unit is transferred to IICM (director Pedro Alcântara) and soon thereafter instituted under the Faculty of Arts (director Manuel Araújo) as the new Archaeology Department, a transition process managed by J. Morais. During two seasons (1976-1977) research work is conducted at the stone enclosure at Manyikeni by P. Garlake and J. Morais.

- 1977: Under the new Archaeology Department new co-workers join in: Michael and June Stephen [2] (from the UK, before leaving for Swaziland in 1979), Paul Sinclair [3] (in 1977, from Zimbabwe, who acted as principal investigator until leaving in 1980 for Uppsala University) and Leonard Adamowicz [4] (from Poland, starting in 1980).

- 1978: A major Swedish research grant (first in the UEM system) is allocated for the “Archaeological Survey of Mozambique” project. Swedish partners are initially the Swedish National Heritage Board and, from 1980, Uppsala University. Among other sites (e.g. Matola, University Campus, Zitundo) fieldwork is conducted by Morais and Sinclair at Manyikeni, where an Open-Air Museum is inaugurated under increasing war risk, from landmines to enemy (Rhodesian) helicopters flying for surveillance over the site. A dedicated effort is made to provide new information to be used in schoolbooks and regular reporting to the media. Over this period extensive surveys are also implemented in the Save-Vilanculos bay region by T. Cruz e Silva, P. Sinclair, A. Loforte and, for shorter periods, J. Morais (at sites such as Chibuene, Hola-Hola, Bazaruto, Ponta Dundo and Marrape); concurrently, M. and J. Stephen conduct survey work at Maua cave in Niassa.

- 1979: Considering the growing need of anthropological research and in the absence of a ‘home’ at UEM, the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology (a ‘renewed' DAA) is established. Ana Loforte and Christian Geffray join DAA. A new regular departmental publication is launched — Trabalhos de Arqueologia e Antropologia. During the academic year 1979-1980 J. Morais is away in Oxford to initiate doctoral work and Ana Loforte replaces him as head of department. During two seasons in 1978 and 1979 T. Cruz e Silva and P. Sinclair conduct work in Murrupula, Nampula, Mossuril, Ilha de Moçambique and Ibo.

- 1980-1985: The Swedish National Heritage Board assigns to DAA, for limited time-periods, osteologist Leif Jonsson, marine archaeologist Per-Inge Lindqvist and archaeologists N. and G. Nydolf. Late in 1983 Ricardo T. Duarte returns to Maputo, joining the DAA to conduct research in northern Mozambique. During this period, when survey work more than doubled previously known sites, new fieldwork is implemented in the south at Daimane, Ponta Dundo, Zitundo, University Campus, among others. In order to complement T. Cruz e Silva groundwork at Matola, the site is re-excavated by J. Morais, L. Jonsson and P-I. Lindqvist, aiming at enlarging collections and reassess dates. Following earlier work in Northern Mozambique (T.C.Silva and P.Sinclair), L. Adamowicz conduct archaeological work surveying 92 sites, namely at Chakota, Riane, Muse and Namolepiwa rock-shelters, the Nakwaho site providing the first occurrence of grindstones associated with early farming. The first computer is installed (IBM PC 5150) and a well-supplied specialised library organised. Notwithstanding considerable progress, under increasing civil war and unrest (1977-1992) particularly later into the 80’s, the fieldwork component of the 'Archaeological Survey Programme' gradually comes to an halt. The head of department is João Morais until leaving Mozambique in 1884, being replaced by Ricardo T. Duarte.

[1] João Carlos Senna Martinez, b. 1948 - d. 2022

[2] Michael Stephen, b. 1949, d. 1999

[3] Paul J.J. Sinclair, b. 1949 - d. 2023

[4] Leonard Adamowicz, b.1945 - d. 2020

Photo: Zimbabwe of Manyikeni, Mozambique, 1978–1979: João Morais standing (foreground, center), Paul Sinclair (background right) and Ricardo Duarte (sitting). Photo by João Morais.