Quirimbas islands (Northern Mozambique) and the Swahili gold trade

In this paper we discuss the results of the archaeometric study (OM, SEM-EDS and PIXE) of a gold bead recovered within an archaeological research program undertaken at Ibo island (Quirimbas archipelago, Northern Mozambique), and its significance in the historical regional context. Our aim is to fill the gap in our knowledge of the role played by the Northern Mozambican shore on the trade networks linking the Eastern African and the rest of the Indian Ocean.