Excavations at the Site of Early Mombasa

Abstract

Arab historical sources make it plain that Mombasa was among the earliest towns of importance on the East African coast, but no archaeological work had been undertaken at settlement sites there. In this article Mr Sassoon gives an account of the work carried out at the site of the town to which the Arab authors were probably referring. Mr Sassoon was curator of Fort Jesus Museum from 1974 to 1976 and organizer of the Mombasa Wreck Excavation from 1976 to 1978.