Historical archaeology is experiencing a surge of interest in West Africa, after decades of relative obscurity. The papers in this volume represent the most recent findings by scholars who are committed to melding written history, oral tradition, and archaeological data into a dynamic understanding of the recent centuries in Nigeria. These papers demonstrate that historical archaeology will make a critical contribution to exploring the heritage of modern West Africa from pre-colonial states and empires, through the years of European trade and colonization, into the modern era.