This article presents the first detailed account of a previously unknown Early Iron Age pottery group from the Kongo Central Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The ceramic group is named Kitala ware, after the site where it was first discovered, and excavated in 2014 and 2015. Dated between cal AD 230 and 524 at Kitala, the ware is also documented as surface finds from six other sites south of the Congo River. Its chronology partly overlaps with the previously known Kay Ladio ware dated between cal AD 30 and 475. Both Early Iron Age (EIA) pottery groups share many features and are distinct from Ngovo ware, the province’s earliest pottery group which preceded the arrival of iron metallurgy and dates between 420 cal BC and cal AD 130. The users of Kitala ware had iron metallurgy and lived in a natural environment of open deciduous woods with access to tree species characteristic of wooded savannas, such as Bridelia spp., and gallery forests, such as Elaeis guineensis. The clay properties, shapes, and decoration patterns of Kitala vessels presented in this article indicate that this ceramic group derived from Kay Ladio ware. While it is unrelated to EIA pottery traditions known in the Atlantic Coast region of the Congo Republic to the north, it does share specific features with certain EIA pottery types in the vicinity of Kinshasa. This article shows that during the EIA, the Lower Congo region of Central Africa had more regional variation in ceramic production than previously known.

中文翻译：

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Kitala Ware：来自中非下刚果地区的一个新的早期铁器时代陶器组

本文首次详细介绍了来自刚果民主共和国中部刚果省的一个以前不为人知的早期铁器时代陶器组。该陶瓷组以首次发现的地点命名，并于 2014 年和 2015 年进行挖掘。该陶瓷组的历史可追溯至公元 230 年至 524 年之间，在基塔拉，该陶器也被记录为来自刚果​​南部其他六个地点的地表发现河。其年代与之前已知的公元 30 年至 475 年之间的 Kay Ladio 陶器有部分重叠。这两个早期铁器时代 (EIA) 陶器群有许多共同特征，并且与该省最早的陶器群 Ngovo ware 不同，后者早于铁冶金术的到来日期介于 420 cal BC 和 cal AD 130 之间。Kitala ware 的使用者拥有铁冶金术，生活在开放落叶林的自然环境中，可以接触到树木繁茂的稀树草原特有的树种，例如 Bridelia spp. 和廊林，例如 Elaeis guineensis。本文介绍的 Kitala 器皿的粘土性质、形状和装饰图案表明该陶瓷组源自 Kay Ladio 器皿。虽然它与北部刚果共和国大西洋海岸地区已知的 EIA 陶器传统无关，但它确实与金沙萨附近的某些 EIA 陶器类型具有特定的特征。本文表明，在 EIA 期间，中非下刚果地区的陶瓷生产区域差异比以前已知的要大。和画廊森林，例如 Elaeis guineensis。本文介绍的 Kitala 器皿的粘土性质、形状和装饰图案表明该陶瓷组源自 Kay Ladio 器皿。虽然它与北部刚果共和国大西洋海岸地区已知的 EIA 陶器传统无关，但它确实与金沙萨附近的某些 EIA 陶器类型具有特定的特征。本文表明，在 EIA 期间，中非下刚果地区的陶瓷生产区域差异比以前已知的要大。和画廊森林，例如 Elaeis guineensis。本文介绍的 Kitala 器皿的粘土性质、形状和装饰图案表明该陶瓷组源自 Kay Ladio 器皿。虽然它与北部刚果共和国大西洋海岸地区已知的 EIA 陶器传统无关，但它确实与金沙萨附近的某些 EIA 陶器类型具有特定的特征。本文表明，在 EIA 期间，中非下刚果地区的陶瓷生产区域差异比以前已知的要大。虽然它与北部刚果共和国大西洋海岸地区已知的 EIA 陶器传统无关，但它确实与金沙萨附近的某些 EIA 陶器类型具有特定的特征。本文表明，在 EIA 期间，中非下刚果地区的陶瓷生产区域差异比以前已知的要大。虽然它与北部刚果共和国大西洋海岸地区已知的 EIA 陶器传统无关，但它确实与金沙萨附近的某些 EIA 陶器类型具有特定的特征。本文表明，在 EIA 期间，中非下刚果地区的陶瓷生产区域差异比以前已知的要大。