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Report on Excavations carried out in the Cave known as ‘Bosumpra’ at Abetifi, Kwahu, Gold Coast Colony

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 May 2014

C. T. Shaw
C. T. Shaw
Affiliation:
Curator, Anthropology Museum, Achimota College, Gold Coast
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Extract

The cave of Bosumpra is one of a long line of numerous caves and rock-shelters in Voltaian sandstone, facing east at about 1,800 ft. O.D., on the eastward slope of the hill on which the Christian quarters of Abetifi stand. The cave takes its name from the spirit formerly believed to be resident there. It can be reached by following downhill for about a quarter of a mile the bush-path which leaves the eastern side of the road from Abetifi old town to the Government Rest House, less than ¼ mile from the Rest House: the cave lies some hundred yards to the north of the point, where this path descends the rocky line, on which the caves are situated, and comes out of bush into farming land.

The cave was formed by the dissolving action of water which seeps out of the rock at this level during the wet season, although during the dry season it is quite dry. In the centre of the cave the distance from the back wall to the drip-line is 27 ft.; at this point the rock overhang is 12 ft. above the present level of the floor of the cave. On either side of the centre portion of the cave, the rock overhang gradually curves back to the vertical cliff wall on either side, thus gradually diminishing the depth of the cave. The total width of the cave from north to south is about 60 ft. The floor of the cave is lowest in the centre, where there is comfortable room to stand upright in the front portion; it rises gently towards the north, but more steeply towards the southern end, so that there is barely room to get between the floor and the roof (Pl. 1).

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 10 , 1944 , pp. 1 - 67
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 1944

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