ABSTRACT
The author supports the view that a relationship exists between the spread of iron use and of divine kingdoms. Attempts are made at identifying the presence of this specific centralized political system through material culture remains which are diagnostic of divine kingdoms as a political system. Certain objects or ornaments are shown to be worn, or possessed, by certain members of society throughout their lifetime or during certain stages in life. Such patterning may apply to members of society organized through kinship or through social position. The function is to maintain social order and cultural continuity. The result is that divine kingdoms can be traced archaeologically; however, the archaeologist may find it difficult to sort out the empirical material. Context should be made use of in the analytical approach, since material expressions of this order tend to be culture-specific. For example, a particular string of beads worn around the neck by certain members of one specific divine kingdom may carry the same social message as another particular string of beads worn around the waist, or perhaps a particular ivory bracelet worn above the right elbow by certain members of another divine kingdom. Social meaning can only be detected through contextual studies. Age, sex and other patterned associations including spatial distribution must be taken into consideration.
