The Kintampo Complex marks a pivotal shift in West African prehistory, illustrating the transition from a mobile hunter-gatherer lifestyle to more settled communities and complex societies around 2000 BC. Spread across Ghana and parts of Ivory Coast and Togo, the Kintampo Complex is represented by 27 known archaeological sites, seven of which have been excavated, including Kintampo, Ntreso, Mumute, and Bonoase.

Artifacts such as daub, pottery, polished stone tools, and figurative ceramics suggest evolving societal and agricultural practices, yet uncertainties remain regarding whether the faunal and floral remains at these sites were from domesticated or wild species.

One of the most intriguing artifacts from the Kintampo Complex is the "terracotta cigars," whose exact function remains debated. Scholars suggest they could have served various roles, from bark cloth beaters to pottery design tools, though their wear patterns suggest heavy use beyond decorative purposes.

Furthermore, the lithic industry of the Kintampo Complex reveals a robust stone tool technology, with geometric microliths, bifacial points, and ground stone tools pointing to a versatile toolkit for subsistence activities.

The ground stone tools, especially Celts or "Nyame Akuma," were likely vital for wood-working, indicating increased resource management, while the ceramics showcase diverse forms and decorations suggestive of a unique cultural style rather than trade-based production. Evidence of daub and post-impression foundations hints at semi-permanent dwellings, though scholars caution against viewing this as a clear-cut shift to fully sedentary life.

Furthermore, decorative art and personal adornments from the Kintampo Complex sites, such as beads, pendants, and bracelets, represent the earliest forms of such artifacts in sub-Sahelian West Africa, indicating a budding sense of identity and craftsmanship.

The Kintampo Complex reflects an adaptive and evolving lifestyle, marked by experimentation with domestication, environmental management, and artistic expression. However, the transition to sedentism was gradual, with evidence pointing to continued reliance on both wild and possibly domesticated resources, underscoring the complexity of this pivotal phase in West African history.