Jenne-Jeno
WHP ORIGINS / LESSON 3.5STUDENTMATERIALSACTIVITY—JENNE-JENO1Unless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “Activity–Jenne-Jeno”, OER Project, https://www.oerproject.com/PurposeThis activityfocuses on questioningthetraditional narrative of how cities and states were organized. Byexaminingthe different waysthat people organizedsocieties,wegetattheheartofwhatwe’reaskingyoutodointhiscourse:questionorchallengethenarrativeandexplorehistoricalevents and processesthat lie outsidethosethat fit into neat boxes ordefinitions. There are societiesthat existtodaythat do not followthe standard model of organizationwetypicallyseearoundtheworld.Thisillustratesthatalthoughtheworldhasbecomemorealikeinmanyways,therearestilldifferences.ProcessInUnit3,youencountersomeofthebiggesttransformationsinhumanhistory—thebirthandgrowthofthecity(urbanization),thefirststatesandempires, and long-distancetrade. We usuallythink of cities and states as being hierarchicallystructured with rulers, armies, and large buildings, such astemples. Butthere are a numberof places where complex societies emergedthat were different fromthis. One ofthese exceptionstothe rule is Jenne-Jeno, which was a complex society(perhaps a state) of manypeople livingtogether(in what we might call a city), but withoutthe normalthings we expectto see in either.Part 1:Beginbyimaginingascenariowhereyouwakeup,alongwithalltheexpectedpeoplearoundyou(thoseinyourhome,extendedfamilies,andyourwhole community),butwhenyougoouttothenearestcity,therearenogovernmentbuildings,nochurches,mosques,ortemples,oranyotherbigmonuments. There’snowrittenlanguage,noborders,nogovernment.Infact,thereareonlypeopleandtheirhousesandworkplaces.Howwouldyourunthings?What would you do? How would you begin to organize your community?Yourteacherwillbreaktheclassintogroupsof3or4tocomeupwithastrategyfororganizingyourcommunity.Writeyourgroup’sorganizationalmodel on a piece of paper. You’ll have about 10 minutes to formulate your answers and organize your society.Part2:Now,yourteacherwillpresentthestoryofJenne-Jeno,acollectionofurbanareasthatexistedfromc.250BCEto900CE,locatedalongtheNigerRiver valley in present-day Mali (south of the Sahara Desert):•Archaeologistsfound69tells(artificialmounds)•Populationestimatedbetween15,000and27,000forthemainhabitationsite(c.900CE)withapproximately42,000fortheentireurbanarea•Siteswerefoundfortheproductionofceramics,ironsmelting,grain(sorghum,rice,andmillet)aswasevidenceofanimalhusbandryandfishing, and ritual sites•Researchersdidnotfindevidenceoftemples,citywalls,orpalaces.Nosignsofabureaucracyormonarch(rulersuchasakingorchief),andno writing
WHP ORIGINS / LESSON 3.5 STUDENTMATERIALSACTIVITY—JENNE-JENO2Part3:Next,you’llhaveawholeclassdiscussionaboutthetraditionaldefinitionofacityasoutlinedbyarchaeologistV.GordonChilde:•Specializationoflaborandsocialhierarchyincludingarulingclass•Single,centralizedauthority•Paymentoftaxes eitherto areligious leaderorrulersuch asa king•MonumentalarchitecturesuchastemplesorpalacesWhatelementsofJenne-JenofitwithChilde’smoretraditionalexplanation?Shareyourthoughtswiththeclass.Part4:Now, yourteacherwill presenttwo archaeologists’ explanation forhowthey’ve interpretedthe evidence found at Jenne-Jeno. Afterlearning about these interpretations, work with yourgroup memberstothink aboutthe similarities and differences between how yourgroup envisioned yourimagined communityandhowthesearchaeologistsenvisionedthestructureofJenne-Jeno.Sharethesimilaritiesanddifferencesyourgroupfindswiththeclass.Part5:Finally,yourteacherwillwritethewordssupport,extend,andchallengeontheboardandaskyoutojotdownsomeideasinresponsetothefollowing question:HowdoestheinformationyoulearnedaboutJenne-Jenosupport,extend,andchallengewhatyou’vebeenpresentedaboutcities,complexsocieties,andthe communities frame in this unit?Shareyourideaswiththeclassbygoinguptotheboardtowriteyourthoughtsundertheappropriatecategory.Yourteacherwillthenleadabrief discussion to wrap up this activity.