Biography
I completed my BA, MPhil and MA in Archaeology at Université d’Abomey-Calavi (Benin Republic), respectively in 2011, 2014 and 2016. In 2017, I undertook my PhD in Art of Building and Urbanism at Université libre de Bruxelles and in Archaeology at Université d’Abomey-Calavi. I completed them in 2022 under the Title “Contribution of Urban Archaeology and Landscape for Understanding the History of Caravan Towns: Case of Banikoara (Northern Benin)”. From 2022-2024, I was a postdoctoral researcher (2022-2023) at the Centre of Cultural Anthropology of the Université libre de Bruxelles. I am an Associate Researcher of that Centre since September 2023. At the Department of History and Archaeology of Université d’Abomey-Calavi, I have been a “Monitor” for three years (2022-2024). I have started since 1st October 2024, a new position of postdoctoral Researcher at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research of University of Cambridge, with a grant of the Wiener Anspach Foundation.
My interests embrace the history of the caravan trade in West Africa in general and the western part of the Borgu (nowadays Northern parts of Benin and Nigeria) in particular. Urban history, urban archaeology, landscape, architecture and anthropology are my scientific interests. Concretely, caravan cities are at the top of my scientific concerns. They are documented on the historical, archaeological, landscape and anthropological plans in order to highlight their evolution in time and space.
After Banikoara (PhD), Nikki (also in Northern Benin) has been studied as part of my first postdoctoral research at Centre of Cultural Anthropology. There too, I have collected and studied data associated with products traded during caravan trade period (its beginning dates back to 15e-16e century) as well as evidence relative to the social and landscape impacts of caravan history. A part from caravan cities, the identification and the study of caravan trade routes in Northern Benin gave up since around 300 years is also my scientific interest.
The identification of sites in a such context can only be achieved effectively through an approach combining remote sensing and oral and archaeological surveys in the research field. This explain the title of my current postdoctoral research, “Remote sensing and study of archaeological sites in Banikoara, Nikki and Zugu-Wangara (Northern Benin)”. My Principal Investigator is Professor Paul LANE and this research also aligns well with the work of the Mapping Africa’s Endangered Archaeological Sites and Monuments (https://maeasam.org/about/) project, hosted by the McDonald Institute, and its sister project Mapping Archaeological Heritage in South Asia (https://www.mahsa.arch.cam.ac.uk/), both of which use remote sensing extensively to document archaeological sites and monuments and monitor threats to this heritage.
Key Publications
- International Revues with per reviewers
- Mardjoua, B. 2023 -Tako. In: L. Smolderen & P. Gérimont (eds), Entrelacs. Textiles rituels, Binche, Musée international du carnaval et du masque : 211-212.
- Mardjoua, B. 2022 « Apports de l’archéologie urbaine et du paysage dans la compréhension de l’histoire d’une ville caravanière : Banikoara (Nord-Bénin) », Afrique : Archéologie & Arts [En ligne], 18 | 2022, mis en ligne le 02 novembre 2022, consulté le 12 novembre 2022. URL: http:// journals.openedition.org/aaa/3859; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/aaa.3859
- Mardjoua, B. 2020. Niyanpangu-bansu: An Important Archaeological Site for the Reconstitution of the History of Caravan Trade in Northern Benin, Journal of African Archaeology, 18: 162-180. https://doi:10.1163/21915784-20200014
- Mardjoua, B., Gosselain O. et N’Dah D. 2019. Recherches archéologiques à Banikoara et à Kantoro (Nord-Bénin) : rapport de la campagne de recherche menée entre décembre 2017 et mars 2018, Nyame Akuma 91 : 1-9.
- N'Dah, D. & Mardjoua, B., 2019, The Pavements at Tombo Birnin Lafiya, in Haour, A. (ed.) Two thousand years in Dendi, northern Benin: archeology, history and memory. Brill / Journal of African Archeology Monograph Series pp. 389-400.
- Livingstone Smith, A., Nikis, N. & Mardjoua, B. 2019. Kusulabu (KUS-SI&SII). In: Haour, A. (ed.), Two Thousand Years in Dendi, northern Benin. Brill, Leiden, pp. 399-404.
- Nyambiya, H., Mardjoua, B. & Maganzo A. 2018. ICOMOS International Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM) 2017 Annual Meeting: A Review. International Journal of Student Research in Archaeology | IJSRA, (4), 166–172.
- N’Dah, D. & Mardjoua, B. 2017. Le site archéologique de Niyanpangu-bansu (nord du Bénin): résultats d’une reconnaissance archéologique et perspectives de connaissance de l’histoire du peuplement précolonial du Borgou historique. Revue Ivoirienne des Sciences Historiques 1, 9-19.
- Nixon, S., Mardjoua, B. and N'po Takpara, F., 2015, The Ashanti-Hausaland Trade Route and the Kingdom of Borgou: N ° 83, Ornamental and Historical Survey of the Republic of Benin, Nyame Akuma June 2015, pp. 48-61 ;
- Bagodo, O. B., Banni Guéné, O. et Mardjoua, B. 2013, Le Borgou historique (bààrugu) de la période précoloniale à nos jours (XVè au XXIè siècle) : conception et gestion des frontières, in Gayibor N. (éd.), Peuples et frontières en Afrique de l’Ouest, Collection ‘‘Patrimoines’’, N°15, Lomé, Presses de l’Université de Lomé, pp 73-89.
- National Revues with per reviewers
- N’Dah, D., Labiyi, N. et Mardjoua, B. 2022, reconnaissance archéologique du site Etoo dans le moyen-benin : perspectives de recherche pour une réelle sauvegarde du site. In Les Cahiers du SICY, n°002, octobre 2022, pp.9-21.
- Mardjoua, B. & Labiyi, N. 2020, Le site fortifié Etoo de Yaoui dans les paysages du mouvement du pays shabè, In: Adjé, A.I. (ed.), Site fortifié Etoo et modes de défense chez les Shabè et dans l’aire culturelle Yoruba. Cahiers du symposium de Yaoui, pp.
- Mardjoua, B. & N’Dah, D. 2018. Les structures de fortification du secteur de Karimama-Banikoara (Nord-Bénin): typologie et analyse comparative avec le site Etoo de Yaoui. In: Adjé, A.I. (ed.), Peuplement du pays shabè et occupation du site historique Etoo de Yaoui. Rapport symposium culturel de Yaoui, pp. 171-184.
Teaching and Supervisions
- 2023-2024 and 2022-2023. ACM1501 Archaeology and Material Culture, taught to the third year students of the Department of History and Archaeology of Université d’Abomey-Calavi.
- 2023-2024 and 2022-2023. AEH1504 Archaeological study of human settlements, taught to the third year students of the Department of History and Archaeology of Université d’Abomey-Calavi.
Academic activities
.2023-2024 and 2022-2023, I co-supervised with Dr Didier N’Dah (Associate-Professor), five bachelor degree thesis at the Department of History and Archaeology of the Université d’Abomey-Calavi.
DJIVOESSOUN Zinsou Anicet. Archaeological Survey in and around the Ancient Slavery of Porto-Novo.
HOUANSOU Sèdjro Ulrich. Archaeological Survey in the region of Adjohoun.
N’TCHA N’Kouéi Joseph. Archaeological Survey in and around Natitingou.
SHAGUI Dieudonné. Archaeological Survey in the region of Dassari.
OROU TOROU Djibril. Archaeological Survey and human settlement in the region of Gomparou.
Archaeological fieldworks
12 years of experience in conducting oral surveys, archaeological fiedworks (archaeological surveys-archaeological excavations) as a Manager or Member of team, or Intern in Benin, in West Africa and in Europe.
5 February-5 March 2023: Manager of team during the archaeological investigations in Nikki and its caravanserai (Northern-Benin) as part of my postdoctorat project.
• Collecting of orales sources in Nikki, mostly in its caravanserai and around;
• Recording of twenty archaeological sites;
• Excavation of two pits of 2mx1m in Nikki-Maro and another of 1mx1m in Gourou;
• Drawing of stratigraphic sections;
• Collecting of archaeobotanic sediments;
• Floating of archaeobotanic sediments by three sieve columns of different mesh sizes: 1mm, 500 µm, 250 µm;
• Description and drawing of ceramic furniture.
August-October 2022: Manager of team during the archaeological rescue research on the Agouin Plage site (Coast of Benin), directed by Dr Didier N’Dah (Associate-Professor and Head of the Laboratory of Archaeology/UAC).
• Collecting of orales sources in Adounko, Avlékété;
• Collecting data of ceramic production in Avlékété, Adounko;
• Collecting data of salt production in Djègbadji;
• Excavation of two pits of 2mx1m, another of 6mx1m;
• Drawing of stratigraphic sections;
• Collecting of archaeobotanic sediments from two pits;
• Floating of archaeobotanic sediments by three sieve columns of different mesh sizes: 1mm, 500 µm, 250 µm;
• Description and drawing of ceramic furniture.
6-16 June 2020: Manager of team during the second archaeological research campaign on the Agbojannagan market site in Abomey, located in the buffer zone of the royal palaces (UNESCO World Heritage), as part of 2CGU project activities.
• Collecting data of ceramic production in Abomey;
• Excavation of two pits of 2mx1m;
• Excavation of two pits of 2mx2m;
• Drawing of stratigraphic sections
• Collecting of archaeobotanic sediments;
• Description and drawing of ceramic furniture.
Other Professional Activities
Scientific meetings (Conferences, colloquia, Workshops, seminars)
27-30 November 2023: 18th Conference of the West African Archaeological Association, held at the University of Cheick Anta Diop (Dakar, Sénégal).
• My talk, by online system, is titled ‘‘Archaeological research in the caravan trade of Nikki (Northern Benin): results of the first campaign and research perspectives on the history of the caravan trade in West Africa’’.
25-28 October 2023: Participation at the International Colloquium titled “Industrie Touristique et altérité – Tourism industry and otherness-’’ held at the University of San Pedro (Côte d’Ivoire).
• My talk is titled “Resilience in the celebration of Gaani, an asset for the tourism development of North Benin’’.
23 October 2023. Talk for the monthly Seminar of the Institut des Sciences Anthropologiques de Développement of the Université Felix HOUEPHOUET-BOIGNY (Côte d’Ivoire). Its titled is “Caravan Trade History in West Africa: actors, products and tangible evidence”.
8-10 November 2021: Participation at the regional seminar held at the University Abdou Moumouni of Niamey (Republic of Niger).
2-7 November 2021: Participation at the 17th Conference of the West African Archaeological Association, held at the University Professor Joseph Ki-Zerbo (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso).
• My talk is titled “Contributions of archeology to the knowledge of the history of Banikoara in North Benin (7th-19th centuries).
7-14 July 2019: Participation at the 16th Conference of the West African Archaeological Association, held at the University of Legon (Accra, Ghana).
• The title of my talk is “Challenges of safeguarding the heritage of the historic towns of Benin of the current Republic of Benin in the face of the demographic explosion: case of the caravan town of Banikoara’’.
29-31 October 2018: Participation at the colloquium titled «Through a local perspective », co-organised by the Centre HABITER (ULB) et EiABC, Addis-Abeba (Ethiopia).
• The titled of my talk is ‘‘Organization and structure of the original precolonial town of Banikoara (North Benin, West Africa)’’.
18-21 June 2018: Participation at the 24th Conference of the Society of Africanist Archaeologist, held at the Campus of Victoria College, Université de Toronto.
• My talk is titled “Archaeological and historical study of the caravan town of Banikoara (North Benin)”, hosted in the session “African towns in time and space” organized by Dr. Adria La Violette and Dr. Shimelis Gulema (University of Virginia; Stony Brook University).
2-5 October 2017: Participation at the annual conference of ICAHM/ICOMOS, held at Bagamoyo, Tanzanie.
• My talk is titled "The caravan city of Niyanpangu-bansu (North Benin): state of knowledge and research perspective for a better knowledge of the history of caravan trade in the current space of the Republic of Benin", housed in the session '' Trade Routes: Africa's Role as a Gateway to the Rest of the World'' organized by Dr Thadeus MWKAMWA.
25-30 September 2017: Participation at the 4th colloquium of the University of Abomey-Calavi.
• My talk is titled ‘‘Urban archaeology in Porto-Novo: preliminary results and research perspectives’’.
7-14 July 2017: Participation at the 15th Colloquium of the West African Archaeological Association, held at the University of Lagon (Accra/Ghana).
• My talk titled is “Oral, archeology surveys and history of the settlement of the Karimama-Banikoara region (North Benin): state of knowledge and research perspectives.
26 June-2 July 2016: Participation at the 23th Conference of the Society of Africanist Archaeologist, held at the University Toulouse Jean Jaurès (France).
• The title of my talk is ‘‘Study of archaeological material from archaeological excavations of the site of Niyanpangu-bansu (North Benin, West Africa)’’.
Reviewer of Journals
• Revue du Laboratoire des Langues et Cultures Gur (Bénin);
• Les Cahiers du SICY (Bénin)
• Revue Africaine d’Anthropologie Nyansa-pô (Côte d’Ivoire) ;
• Revue des Sciences Sociales, Pensées genre, Penser autrement (Côte d’Ivoire) ;
• African Studies Review (Cambridge University Press- UK).
Editorial Board Member
International Journal of Archaeology
Project experience
2022-2023 : Member of QuaREB project titled « Study of the Recent Quaternary of the Southwest Coast Benin, from Archaeological and Archaeobotanical Data » financed by International Union for Quaternary Research. https://www.inqua.org/
2019-2023 : Member of Endangered Materiel Knowledge Programme project, financed by The Bristish Museum and directed by Professor Olivier P. Gosselain, Head of the Centre of Anthropology Cultural/Université libre of Brussels – ULB - Belgium)
https://www.emkp.org/following-cotton-from-seeds-to-rags-textile-product...
2012-2015 : Intern of « Crossroads of Empires » project (ERC-StG-263747, 2011-
2015) directed by Professor Anne C. Haour, FBA, FSA (University of East Anglia – Norwich, UK) and Dr Didier N’Dah (Université d’Abomey-Calavi). carrefourdesempires.wordpress.com/crossroadsofempires.wordpress.com
2012-2014: Intern of the project titled «Peuples et frontières en Afrique de l’Ouest –People and Borders in West Africa» directed by Professor Nicoué L. Gayibor (university of Lomé – Togo).
https://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=401400190
