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Imported Pottery
The map shows that the sites near the coast sheltered more imported
artifacts. The high concentration of artifacts in the municipality of
Ranomafana is explained by the extraordinary development of this
region at the end of 18th century and moreover in the 19th century.
All people travelling between Toamasina and Antananarivo at this time
had to pass through the villages in this municipality. Indeed, the route
from Toamasina first followed the coast to the south all the way to
Anivorano, then turned due west, all the way to Moramanga.
Ambatovy’s sites uncovered a number of imported ceramics that do
not only provide evidence of the existence of relations with foreign
countries, but also provide valuable insights into the periods of trade.
Indeed, this southwestern region of the Indian Ocean was at the
crossroads of trade involving Asia, Arabia, East Africa, and Europe,
from the 16th century. Celadon and blue and white crockery mark
relations with Asia. Sgraffito, a decorative technique for ceramics, and
Sassano-Persian pottery, are signs of trade with the Arab world and
the Persian Gulf.
Shards of European ceramics from the Netherlands and France were
also discovered at Ambatovy’s sites. Glassware and particular types
of iron objects constitute the vast majority of imported objects, as
the Malagasy population did not manufacture such items. During
these ancient times, counterfeiting already existed as evidenced by
the Dutch imitations of the blue and white ceramics from China. Each
country’s potters tried to reproduce copies of objects that had the
highest market value.
