Ethnoarchaeological and Experimental Charring Studies Related to the Cultivation of Finger Millet (Eleusine Coracana [L.] Gaertn.) in Northwestern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT An ethnoarchaeological study was conducted in northwestern Ethiopia on the cultivation of dagusa (Amharic), commonly known as finger millet (Eleusine coracana) in English. Dagusa is one of the most important cereals and staple foods in East and Central Africa. The field study examined crop-processing activities from land preparation to food processing. The study documented traditional agricultural techniques, land races, labor organization, foods, and rituals associated with cultivation of the crop. Experimental charring was conducted to examine the transformation and preservation of different varieties of dagusa including cultivated and wild progenitor varieties within both oxidized and reduced combustion environments. The results show that survivability varies by seed color at temperatures between 250°C and 350°C. All components of the plants show better rates of survivability at these lower temperatures. The combined ethnoarchaeological and experimental study suggest where and how archaeobotanists may observe evidence of food production and processing of finger millet.