8
Presentations
Test of funerary archaeology in the Bezanozano region: Case of
Ambavalanomby and Behontsa
Rafolo Andrianaivoarivony, Professor – Centre d’Art et d’Archéologie, University of
Antananarivo
“Both sites of Ambavalanomby and Behontsa, in Ambatovy, are examples of many funerary archeologies,
which studies burial places not only as a burial or cremation place, but also the details of their contents.
Ambatovy requested twice the help of archaeologists from the University of Antananarivo to conduct an
expert study: first in Ambavalanomby in September 2009 and then Behontsa in 2010. These sites were
previously identified by archaeologists from Ambatovy’s Corporate Social Responsibility Department.
These two sites are called fasana vazimba according to oral traditions. Their excavations lasted a little less
than a week, 6 days for each site. We carried out the necessary works after the fomba dictated by the local
population. The results of the expertise indicate that the location of the Ambavalanomby site was well
chosen because it is visible from afar. This was identified as a sanctuary visited by pilgrims. It has a group of
megaliths, stone slabs with a sharp cut on its upper part and an alignment of lithic elements in a circle.
In Behontsa, the arrangement of stones helped identify a tomb that contained the remains of an individual
taller than 1.5 meters. The excavation was a significant opportunity because in our country, all that can be
linked to the tomb is sacred and forbidden to be sullied or trampled on.
In Ambavalanomby, the funerary artifact is a small jar intentionally broken according to customs to show
that its owner died. This jar is much older than the artifacts recently left by the pilgrims who continued
to honour this grave, which is already empty. The body has been moved elsewhere to monitor the
consecutive migrations of the family. Only the broken stone highlights the presence of this body.
After a period of time when the sanctuary was visited, the site was finally abandoned by the living (who are
no longer attached to it). After, it was called fasam-bazimba, that is to say deserted and abandoned graves.
It is also the case for Behontsa, which also became a sanctuary visited by pilgrims, who dropped 1 Ariary
coins.
The potteries found on both sites help conclude that Ambavalanomby dates from late 17th to early 18th
century, while Behontsa dates from late 18th to early 19th century.
The discovered archaeological artifacts such as shards of pottery with small triangle patterns which are
well-known in the Highlands and surroundings, like Ambavalanomby. Potteries with no special decorations
were found in Behontsa.
In conclusion, the study of these two sites helped define that in the Bezanozano region, a fasana vazimba
corresponds to an old abandoned tomb.”
