Rainforest coast with river valleys.
Villages here worked soapstone and iron and traded with the Islamic world from the eighth century (Nosy Mangabe in Antongil Bay; the Sandrakatsy phase of the Mananara valley, late eighth to twelfth century, with a necklace of silver, gold, carnelian and glass beads). The soapstone, rock crystal and gold that Mahilaka re-exports come largely from this quarter. The Muslim trading necropolis of Vohemar is later.
Who holds it
- Name
- Not known: no leader is named for this date
- Title
- Heads of lineages, villages and clans
- Since
- Not pinned
- Confidence
- low
How things stand that morning
Independent villages.
Assemblies
Village and lineage elders settle disputes and allocate land; there is no chief over the whole people that the evidence can show for 1200.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- Through 1200No dated event is known.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Archaeology (Dewar and Wright; Wright's Mananara survey).
On the map: Drawn from modern language areas, physical geography and a few dated sites; the 1200 extent is a rough guess.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.