Diepkloof Rock Shelter

Diepkloof

South Africa · Western Cape

CaveIntermittent excavationUNESCO · 2024
Approximate periodMiddle and Later Stone Age See on the map ↓

In brief

Excavations have revealed a long sequence of stone tools and settlement layers that includes the Still Bay and Howiesons Poort phases. Ostrich eggshells with engraved decoration form an important assemblage for research into early symbolic practices.

What was found?

  • 1Engraved ostrich eggshells

    Fragments of eggshell containers bear repeated geometric lines. Researchers interpret these as evidence of a tradition of visual expression with shared conventions.

  • 2Backed stone tools

    Adhesive residues have been preserved on some stone tools with one edge deliberately blunted by working. They are important for investigating the use of tools attached to other components.

  • 3Plant remains

    Remains of wood, grass, seeds and fruit have been found. They help reconstruct the ancient vegetation around the shelter.

  • 4Hearths and ash deposits

    Hearths preserved in place, discarded ash and traces of burned bedding material have been identified in the layers. They allow everyday activities within the shelter to be distinguished.

What does it point to?

At Diepkloof, practical containers also bore geometric marks. According to researchers, the repetition of motifs and their changes over time indicate a socially learned symbolic tradition.

What did it teach us?

  1. It showed that visual marks were applied to containers used in everyday life.
  2. The transport of some stone raw materials from distant locations documented material selection and transport.
  3. It provided records showing that symbolic production and tool technology developed together during the Middle Stone Age.

Images

Diepkloof-general-view
Vincent Mourre / Inrap · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Record

Culture
Still Bay and Howiesons Poort
Team / historical
University of Cape Town ve Université de Bordeaux ortak projesi
Coordinates
-32.3867°, 18.4528°

Sources

  1. whc.unesco.org
  2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  3. en.wikipedia.org
  4. panafprehistory.org

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