in the early first millennium AD, but sites such as Chibuene further south appear to have conducted extensive trade much earlier in the eighth century AD, evidenced from imported glass. Chibuene was the most southern trading port to have participated in the Indian Ocean Trade network. The glass deposits at the site match those of sites in the interior extending 1500 km. In this time frame, Chibuene was a very important gateway linking the coast to the interior, but sometime at the end of the first millennium its role dramatically decreased in the Indian Ocean trade network. Contemporaneously, sites further north, particularly Unguja Ukuu on Zanzibar and Tumbe on Pemba Island experienced a similar decline and trade and period of abandonment. Ceramics The earliest ceramics in the lowest levels of occupation contained a distinct pottery style, most associated with early agriculturalists in southern Africa. Much of the first phase of occupation is dominated by locally produced ceramics, mentioned above, Islamic glazed ware, and Ziwa tradition ceramics. The two notable types of glaze ware includes tin-glazed with a splash painted decoration and a light blue glaze. Contained in the artefact assemblage were two fragments of light blue glaze on a buff body found in the lowest occupation in addition to small sherds of similar type. Another two imported ceramics were two bowls of different sizes, one 22 cm in diameter and the other 28 cm in diameter. These were of the same design of a slightly raised ridge found on the inside body and turned out lips, but of differing size. This bowls were characteristic of ceramics found in Period Ia in Kilwa Kisiwani located to the north in Tanzania. It remains unknown as to whether these were imported from Kilwa or produced locally. These ceramic types were only found in the lower levels of occupation. The unglazed ware at the site contained motifs ranging from triangles, oblique and horizontal lines, cross hatching, zigzags, and herringbone, typically across the rim, neck, or shoulder of the vessels. These appear to be produced through fine and gross incisions and shell impressions or punctuations. Ceramic evidence in the archaeological assemblage reveals that the site had a degree of contact with sites to the north and south in addition to Indian Ocean traders along the coast. In the later occupation levels, ceramic levels begin to take on a new character. The assemblages begin resemble ceramic