Madagascar - Mahajanga

Archaeological and Paleontological Mission in the Province of Mahajanga (MAPPM)

Madagascar is one of the largest islands in the world (its surface area exceeds that of France and Benelux combined), but the only one that is near Africa. It remains highly mysterious, for it is very different in fauna and flora from that of the neighbouring continent. Questions remain as to how it was peopled, for although Malagasy, a language from the Western Malayo-Polynesian group, is spoken there today, the people who live there are of many different origins. Across the country, legend tells of the first inhabitants of Madagascar, the Vazimba, but they are described in different ways.

Until recently, it was believed that man arrived on the island during the first centuries of our time. While there still exists a number of dubious lithic tools, the start of human history in Madagascar has never been believed possible until the establishment of the Iron Age. Recent research shows older proof of human presence. In the south of the country, there exist remains of butchery on subfossil Lemur bones, dating back to around 2400 BP.

The mammals of Madagascar are considered to be of very ancient origin, going back to the Tertiary. However, some ongulated mammals, like the hippopotamus or the bush pig, an animal of African origin, in Madagascar. They probably came over during the Quaternary when the level of the Mozambique Canal was much lower, taking island bridges. It is legitimate to wonder whether Hominids may have taken the same path.

The Aepyomis, giant birds from Madagascar, would be the trigger for the legend of the bird Rokh, in Sinbad the Sailor’s tales. Arabian marketplaces were set up very early on the Malagasy Coasts and traded with local inhabitants. Malagasy products, such as tortoise shells, chloritoschist and wood, but also slaves, were to spread across the Indian Ocean region. Reciprocally, products from the Middle East or China (porcelain) were to appear in Madagascar.