Thaba-Bosiu, the Birthplace of the Basotho Nation: A Historical Archaeological Study
Dr Nthabiseng Mokoena-Mokhali
National University of Lesotho
Thaba Bosiu is a flat-topped sandstone mountain 24km east of Maseru, famous as the site of the capital of Morena oa Basotho, King Moshoeshoe I, and playing a crucial role in the building of the modern nation of Lesotho. In this talk I will discuss the daily lives of past communities that inhabited Thaba-Bosiu, drawing on historical and archaeological evidence and oral histories. I will explore a wide range of material culture, including beads, locally made and imported ceramics, faunal remains, and other foreign artifacts, that illuminate daily routines, economic activities, and local, regional, and international interactions. Agriculture and livestock rearing emerged as key socio-political and economic pursuits. The presence of foreign objects indicates links with African, European, and other cultures. My research challenges the dominant narrative of Thaba-Bosiu as merely a site of conflict, instead portraying it as a lived space, one in which diverse groups interacted, coexisted, and adapted to emerging social and cultural realities.
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