Ethnoarchaeological Study of Pottery Tradition in Usambe, Ikyurav-Ya, Southeastern Tiv Land, Benue State, Nigeria

Pottery production has been recognized as one of the ancient Tiv practices that have survived to this day. Therefore, whenever remains of pottery objects are identified at an archaeological site within the Tivland, they usually contain tangible information regarding the group that made and used them. This research is an ethnoarchaeological investigation of pottery tradition in Usambe community. The researcher uses ethnographic information on pottery production and usage in the area to infer about the cultural formation process, growth and advancement of the Tiv people that made and used clay wares found in fragments on the hills of Usambe. The results, however, align with the position of various scholars of Tiv tradition that the hills located in the present Usambe community are among the hills inhabited by the Tiv people during their exodus into the Benue Valley of Nigeria.