ABSTRACT
Ataba-apipa is an abandoned hill-top settlement site in Okaito, Okehi
Local Government Area of Kogi State. The site was occupied in the past
by the clan known as Egiri. To the best of the researcher's knowledge,
no archaeological research has been carried out on this site prior to
this research despite the historical significance of the hill to the
entireEbira people and the abundance of cultural materials on the site.
Oral information has it that the hill was extensively used during wars
as it served as the place where external aggression was prevented. This
research is therefore, a survey of the abandoned hill-top that is
characterized by several site indicators such as house foundations,
graves, granary foundations, potsherds, mounds, shrine, and grinding
stones among others. This is done in order to document the surface finds
and features which are very important and can provide useful
information about the former inhabitants of the area.

Methods such as oral tradition, archaeological survey, consultation of
written documents, classification/analyses and ethnographic survey were
all employed to reconstruct the culture history of the past inhabitants
of the place under study. Oral tradition gave insights on the migration
of the people, the extent of the site, the usage of the cultural
materials found on the site as well as the religious belief of the
extinct people of Ataba-apipa. Archaeological survey helped in showing
the spatial distribution of finds and features on the site as well as
their relationship with one another. It also aided in the production of
the site map. Classification and analyses of the find (potsherds) were
carried out. This revealed the various pots and bowls of different sizes
and shapes that were made and used by the people. Ethnographic survey
was also employed to explain the occurrence of cultural materials on the
site as well as knowing aspects of cultural continuity.

The theoretical frame work adopted in this research is
'Ethnoarchaeology' which is an understanding of the past through the
study of the present. This is done on the tenet that some relationship
exist between the two cultures under study through analogical analysis
for a proper interpretation of such cultures. This model helped in the
interpretation of the cultural materials found on the site especially in
the aspect of pottery making which showed a considerable cultural
continuity between the extinct and extant societies This research has
established through the oral information and the interpretation of the
finds and features that, Ataba-apipa was inhabited in the past. It also
showed through the establishment of cultural continuity that the present
inhabitants of Okaito are the direct descendants of the extinct people
of Ataba-apipa. The people had a belief system which has to do with
worship of gods (ori) as evident in the shrine that is situated at the
northern part of the site. Offerings were said to have been offered
either in appreciation haven achieved the desired or in anticipation.
The research concludes with some recommendations that would enhance any
further research in this area, especially in the aspect of age
determination and test pit excavation on the mounds on the site.