| The collections include artefacts and other materials collected by
the pioneers of archaeology in South Africa. There are also a number
of important assemblages from modern excavations of a range of sites.
Material of known ages extends back to the Later Acheulian, dating
between 400 000 and 700 000 years ago, and forward to the period of
Khoe-San contact with the first European settlers. Most of the collections
are computerized. In addition to information on the development of
human technology, culture and behaviour, the collections provide palaeoenvironmental
and palaeoecological evidence. A distinctive component of the pre-colonial
archaeology collection is a number of original rock paintings and
engravings that were removed from sites in the early twentieth century.
Key Samples:
Klasies River Mouth (coastal) (130 000 to 60 000 and 5 000
to 500 BP). Middle and Later Stone Age. Artefacts and fauna. Includes
early engraving of geometric shape and bone tools. Human skeletal
remains of early Homo sapiens.
Blombos Cave (coastal) (>100 000 to 70 000 and 2000 to 300
years ago). Middle and Late Stone Age. Artefacts and fauna. Includes
early engraving of geometric shape and bone tools. Human skeletal
remains of early Homo sapiens.
Die Kelders Cave (coastal) (90 000 to 40 000 and 2 000 to 1500
BP). Middle and Later Stone Age. Artefacts and fauna. Human skeletal
remains of early Homo sapiens.
Elands Bay Cave (coastal) (?160 000+ and 20 000 to 300 BP). Middle
and Later Stone Age). Artefacts and fauna.
Nelson Bay Cave (coastal) (60 0000 and 18 500 to 400 BP). Middle
and Later Stone Age. Artefacts and fauna.
Byneskranskop Cave (coastal/inland) (13 000 to 500 BP). Later
Stone Age. Artefacts and fauna.
Kasteelberg (open, coastal/inland) (1 800 to 300 BP). Later
Stone Age pastoralist. Artefacts and Fauna.
Sea Harvest (open, coastal) (±150 000 or ±65
000 BP). Middle Stone Age. Artefacts and fauna. Human skeletal remains
of early Homo sapiens.
Hoedjiespunt (open, coastal) (± 150 000 or ±65 000
BP). Middle Stone Age. Artefacts and fauna.
Elandsfontein (also known as Hopefield and Saldanha) (open, inland)
(±500 000 to 300 BP). Early, Middle and Later Stone Age. Artefacts
and fauna. Human skeletal remains of Homo heidelbergensis (archaic
Homo sapiens).
Duinefontein (open, coastal) (±400 000 and 2 000 to
300). Early, Middle and Later Stone Age. Artefacts and fauna.
Cape Hangklip (open, inland/coastal) (+250 000 BP). Early Stone Age.
Artefacts only.
Archaeological Site Data Records
These records contain information on Stone Age and Rock Art sites
in South Africa, as well as some data for sites in Lesotho, Swaziland,
Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
Quaternary and Archaeological Photographic records
The photographic holdings include photographs and transparencies of
Quaternary fossil and archaeological sites, excavations, fossils,
artefacts and rock art. |
