Ny Tany Sy Ny Fanjakana. The land and the *state: Archaeological landscape survey in the Andrantsay region of Madagascar.

Abstract

Archaeological landscape survey was carried out in the Andrantsay region of the central highlands of Madagascar. The object of the research was to place the development of the Merina state or <italic>fanjakana</italic> within a regional context. In so doing the dissertation focuses on the changing relationships between the early state center in Imerina, and its later periphery in Andrantsay, both before and after the transformations known as 'state formation' An agency based landscape approach is used to study the particular history of the Andrantsay region in order to relate it to broader regional changes throughout the central highlands from the 12th to 19th centuries AD. This approach focuses on the landscapes of Andrantsay as the outcome and medium of social practice, as changes in the landscape were created through and constrained by peoples' practices in the area. These changes are placed within the context of Merina conquest in order to understand the particular strategies used by the Merina to take over the Andrantsay region. The different choices made by local inhabitants as a response to Merina takeover, are also considered, together with the effect this had on the region.