James Boachie-Ansah
Education
M.A., B.A., (Archaeology), University of Ghana Legon.
Research Interest:
Historical Archaeology: Using Archaeological Data for Historical Reconstruction. Currently engaged in historical-archaeological research on the earthworks of the Brakwa area of the Central Region, historic settlements in the Abonse area of the Eastern Region and of the Akan of Wenchi in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana.
Academic distinctions
• Visiting Scholar, Department of Archaeology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, October 2006 to September 2007
• Visiting Scholar, Catholic University College of Ghana, Fiapre, Sunyani, Ghana from March 2003 to October, 2006
• Coordinator, Ghana- Denmark Archaeology Project, 2009 to 2010.
• Member, Organising Committee of the Pan-African Congress of Prehistory and Related Studies, 1983
• Country Coordinator and Member of Council, African Archaeology Network 2008 to present
Research abstract:
J. Boachie-Ansah explores and documents potting traditions of settlements; investigates the connections and discontinuities between the archaeological past and the ethnographic present; studies cross-cultural contacts of settlements and the influence of European and Islamic ceramic and metal vessels on indigenous potting traditions; investigates and establishes the chronology of settlements to situate them in the general historical contexts of the areas in which they are found; studies and documents trade items and pottery traditions of Fort Amsterdam and neighbouring Fante communities of the Kormantin area of the Central Region, and investigates sites threatened by gold-mining activities.
Publications
1. Labi, K.A., with Boachie-Ansah, J., 2008: Kuduo: The Akan Art of Brass Casting. Accra: Institute of African Studies and Smartline (Publishing) Ltd.
2. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1986: An Archaeological Contribution to the History of Wenchi, African Occasional Papers No. 3, Calgary: University of Calgary Press.
3. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2008: Wodoku: An Archaeology of An Early Nungua Settlement. Morrisville: Lulu Publishers.
4. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2015: Excavation at Kormantin No. 1 in the Central Region of Ghana. Ghana Social Science Journal 12 (2): 35-81.
5. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2015: Preliminary Report on Excavation at Kormantin No.1 in the Central Region of Ghana. Nyame Akuma:The Bulletin of Africanist Archaeologists 83:23-39.
6. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2015: Report on an Excavation Conducted in January, 2013 at Bonoso,Ghana. Nyame Akuma:The Bulletin of Africanist Archaeologists 84:41-54.
7. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2013: Preliminary Report on an Excavation Conducted at Bonoso in the Wenchi Traditional Area, Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana. Nyame Akuma: The Bulletin of Africanist Archaeologists 79:134-140.
8. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2013: A Preliminary Report on an Excavation at Ahwene Koko in the Wenchi Traditional Area of Ghana. Nyame Akuma: The Bulletin of Africanist Archaelogists, 80:106-114.
9. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2011: Pottery Traditions of the Earthworks of Southern Ghana: Test Excavation at the Site of Ngyeduam. West African Journal ofArchaeology 38 (1 & 2):1-37.
10. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2010: Who were the Builders of the Earthworks of Southern Ghana? Studies in the African Past 8:1-37.
11. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2010: Preliminary Report on excavations at Fort Amsterdam, Abandze, Central Region, Ghana. Journal of Culture Environment 7 (2):14-49.
12. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2009. Archaeological Investigation at the Danish Plantation Site of Brockman, Ghana. Archéologie & Arts 5: 149-172.
13. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2009: The influence of the Middle Niger, Islamic and European Metal Vessels and Ceramics on the Ceramic Industry in Ghana: An Archaeological Perspective. Ethnographisch-Archäologische Zeitschrift. 50 (3): 455-484.
14. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2007: Excavations at a Danish Plantation Site at Brockman, Ghana. Ethnographisch-Archäologische Zeitschrift 48 (4): 537-562.
15. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2007: The Techiman Archaeological Project. Nyame Akuma: The Bulletin of Africanist Archaeologists 68:21-33.
16. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2007: Traditions and Changes in Pottery from Mount Mary Training College and Adjikpo-Yokunya, Eastern Region, Ghana. Ethnographisch-Archäologische Zeitschrift 48 (1):83-107.
17. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2006/2007: Report on Excavations Conducted in January 2005 at Wodoku, East Legon, Ghana. Ghana Social Science Journal 3 & 4 (1& 2): 78-103.
18. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2005: Excavations at Techiman, Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana. Ghana Studies 8: 39-101.
19. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2006: Preliminary Report on Excavations Conducted in January 2005 at Wodoku, East Legon, Ghana. Nyame Akuma: The Bulletin of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists 65: 12-17.
20. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2002: Report on the Second Season of Rescue Excavations at Ladoku, Eastern Accra Plains. West African Journal of Archaeology 32 (2): 1-33.
21. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2006: Rescue Excavations at Ladoku, Eastern Accra Plains, Ghana. Journal of Environment and Culture 3 (1): 27-55.
22. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2005: Archaeological Research at Kasana: A Search for Evidence on the Historic Slave Trade Traffic in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Paper presented at the National Slave Route Conference, Accra, 3rd-5th November, 2003 and published in Journal of Environment and Culture 2 (1): 35-57.
23. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2000: Preliminary Report on Excavations at Bonoso, Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana. West African Journal of Archaeology, 30 (1): 31-47.
24. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2000: Excavations at Old Kargi, Kaduna State, Nigeria. West African Journal of Archaeology, 30 (2): 1-28.
25. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2000: Funerary Terracotta Figurines and Pottery of the Akan of Ghana. Ethnographisch-Archaologische Zeitschrift 41 (1): 65 – 82.
26. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1998: Preliminary Report on Excavations at Wodoku, East Legon, Accra, Ghana. West African Journal of Archaeology 28 (1): 1-18.
27. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1983: A Brief Report on Kargi. Zaria Archaeology Papers 4: 55-56.
28. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1986: "Smoking Pipes and the Dating of Post 16th Century sites in Ghana: the Evidence from Ahwene Koko." Paper presented at the Pan-African Congress of Prehistory, Jos, December, 1983. Published in West African Journal of Archaeology 16: 52-70.
29. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1981: An Archaeological Study of Some Ancient Settlements in North Eastern Zazzau: A Proposal." Zaria Archaeology Papers 3: 78-87.
30. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1985: Pottery from Bonoso and Ahwene Koko, Ghana. Paper presented at the 3rd Annual Conference of the Archaeological Association of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1st-5th April, 1981. Published in West African Journal of Archaeology 15: 41-71.
31. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1976: Excavations at Bonoso and Ahwene Koko: A Preliminary Report. Nyame Akuma: An Archeological Newsletter of the University of Calgary 8: 27-31.
32. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1975: Ahwene Koko: A 17th Century Wenchi Capital? Sankofa: The Legon Journal of Archaeological and Historical Studies 1: 85-86.
33. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2008: Excavations at Fort Amsterdam, Abandze, Central Region, Ghana. In Insoll, T.(Ed.) Current Archaeological Research in Ghana. Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology No. 74. British Archaeolgical Reports No. 1847, pp. 37-61. Oxford: Archaeopress.
34. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2014: Excavations at an Earthwork Site at Asaman and their Implications for the Archaeology of the Forest Areas of Southern Ghana. In Anquandah, J.,Kankpeyeng, B. and Apoh, W. (Eds.) Current Perspectives in the Archaeology of Ghana, pp. 18-44 . Accra: Sub-Saharan Publishers.
35. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2008: Salvaging Monuments and Sites in Ghana: Problems and Prospects. Paper presented at an International Conference on Preventive Archaeology at Nouakchott, 1st to 3rd February, 2007. In Naffé, B. O. M., Lanfranchi, R., Schlanger, N., L’archéologie Preventive en Afrique: Enjeuxet Perspectives, pp. 110-126. Paris: Sepia.
36. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2006: Excavations at Wodoku and Ladoku and their implications for the Archaeology of the Accra Plains. Paper presented at the International colloquium on Early Accra, 1300-1800, Accra, 20th to 22nd October, 2004, and published in Accra Before Colonial Times: Proceedings of a Colloquium on Early Accra. Research Review, Supplement 17, pp. 55-89. Institute of African Studies, Legon.
37. Boachie-Ansah, J., 2004: Excavations at Wodoku and its Implications for Socio-Cultural Contacts Along the Coast of the Eastern Accra Plains of Ghana. Paper presented at an International Conference on the theme: From North to South: Perspectives of Fifty Years of French Archaeology, Paris, 13th to 14th May, 2002 and published In Bazzana, A. and Bacoum, H. (Eds) Du Nord au Sud du Sahara. ’inquanteans d’archéologie Française en Afrique de l’Ouest et au Maghreb – Bilan et Perspectives, pp.217-228. Paris: Sepia
38. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1982: Archaeology and Cultural Education in Nigeria: An Appraisal. Paper presented at the 4th Annual Conference of the Archaeological Association of Nigeria, Zaria 24th-27th June, 1982, and published in Effah-Gyamfi, K (Ed.) Proceedings of the 4th Annual Conference of the Archaeological Association of Nigeria, pp.49-57. Zaria: Archaeological Association of Nigeria.
39. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1984: The Ancient Rock Art of Africa National Open University of Nigeria, Foundation Year Programme: African Civilization, Module Two, the African Scene, Unit 6- Unit 9, pp. 67-83.
40. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1984: The African Iron Age: Metal Technology. National Open University of Nigeria, Foundation Year Programme: African Civilization, Module Two, the African Scene, Unit 6- Unit 9, pp 44-66.
41. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1984: The African Neolithic Revolution. National Open University of Nigeria, Foundation Year Programme: African Civilization, Module Two, the African Scene Unit 6-Unit 9, pp. 22-43.
42. Boachie-Ansah, J., 1984: The Culture of the African Stone Age. National Open University of Nigeria, Foundation Year Programme: African Civilization, Module Two, the African Scene, Unit 6-Unit 9, pp. 1-21.
Grants:
US$ 6, 000 grant to excavate an earthwork site at Asaman in the Central Region. J. Boachie-Ansah as Principal Investigator with Dr. Yaw Bredwa-Mensah and Dr. Fritz Biveridge as Co-Investigators, 2009 to present.
Professional Associations:
• Member, West African Archaeological Association (WAA)
• Member, World Archaeological Congress (WAC)
• Member, Society of Africanist Archaeologists (SAFA)
• Member of Council, African Archaeology Network