A case for Springbok hunting with kite-like structures in the Bushmanland Bioregion of South Africa

Abstract: In the Levant and some arid zones of Central Asia desert kites are well-known hunting structures often thought to have been used for the large-scale harvesting of gazelles during the Holocene. Until recently, such structures were unknown from the southern hemisphere, but three kite sites have now been reported from Keimoes in the arid hinterland north of the Gariep River where the Bushmanland and Kalahari Duneveld bioregions meet. Here we use aspects of gazelle behaviour, and local ethnographical and ethno-historical records to explore the possibility that the stone-built kites or funnel chains of South Africa may have been used to exploit springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis), southern Africa’s only gazelle. We argue that seasonal herds of what were colloquially known as trekbokken (large springbok herds on the..

The size of indigenous Venda cattle during the Late Iron Age in South Africa

Very little data exist on shoulder heights of cattle from archaeological contexts in eastern, central and southern Africa, in no small part due to the virtual absence of complete long bones. We report on complete metapodia of cattle from Mutokolwe, a Late Iron Age site in South Africa that was occupied by Venda-speakers. The shoulder height of cattle from Mutokolwe ranges between 106.90 and 129.49 cm indicating the presence of a small breed of cattle. We present shoulder heights for a number of cattle breeds from eastern, central and southern Africa to show that indigenous, unimproved cattle from this region are often small in stature, well within the range for that recorded at Mutokolwe. Dwarf cattle have previously been reported from Nyanga in eastern Zimbabwe dating from the Late Iron Age. The size of cattle at Nyanga, although small, is within the range of other indigenous cattle from the subcontinent.The National Research Foundation (NRF), the Department of Arts and Culture and the South African National Parks (SANParks).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jasrep2020-04-01hj2020Anthropology and Archaeolog

Sheep (Ovis aries) of Venda speakers during the second millennium AD in South Africa

Little remains known about the physical size of local sheep from southern Africa during the distant past. Early Venda speakers settled in the region during the middle of the second millennium AD, and an early site associated with them, Mutokolwe B, yielded 11 complete metapodia of sheep. This is the largest find of this nature in the southern African region for farming communities. The fauna from Mutokolwe B dates to between AD 1450 and 1550. Measurements of archeological sheep bones can help tease apart questions of breed development and socio-economic organization in the past. We used these metapodials to calculate the shoulder height of sheep. Sheep from Mutokolwe B ranged between 61.69 and 71.17 cm in shoulder size (average 66.28 cm), which is similar to other local sheep breeds such as the Nguni found in South Africa. In addition, the size of the sheep from Mutokolwe B falls within the variation of modern sheep found in southern and Eastern Africa.The National Research Foundation (NRF), the Department of Arts and Culture and the South African National Parks (SANParks).http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/oahj2023Anthropology and Archaeolog

Livestock use in the Limpopo Valley of southern Africa during the Iron Age

Socio-political developments in the Limpopo Valley are of considerable interest to Iron Age archaeologists and some have suggested a pivotal role for cattle within this context, especially during the Middle Iron Age. In the past, many faunal assemblages from the region were quantified using the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) only. In this study, the Cattle Index, which measures the ratio of cattle to sheep/goats in a faunal assemblage, is applied to archaeofauna from the Limpopo Valley, as well as to other Iron Age samples for which onlyMNIsare available. The resulting Cattle Indices show that wealth was not based on cattle alone in the Limpopo Valley. Most faunal samples from the Early and Middle Iron Ages are dominated by sheep/goats. However, exceptions occur at KwaGandaganda, Mamba, Bosutswe and Nqoma. During the Late Iron Age, most assemblages are dominated by cattle. We consider potential reasons for the identified Early and Middle Iron Age exceptions, and also for variable livestock numbers in general.This research was funded by a grant to S.B. from the National Research Foundation.http://www.archaeologysa.co.za/saab/am201

The Equidae from Cooper’s D, an early Pleistocene fossil locality in Gauteng, South Africa

Cooper’s D is a fossil locality in the Bloubank Valley close to other important sites such as Sterkfontein and Kromdraai in Gauteng, South Africa. The fossil deposits of Cooper’s D date to 1.38 ± 0.11 Ma. Hominins like Paranthropus robustus and early Homo have been recovered from Cooper’s Cave. We report here on the Equidae remains. Our sample contains specimens from the extinct Equus capensis, and a specimen which represents an extinct hipparion Eurygnathohippus cf. cornelianus. This particular specimen was previously identified as plains zebra (Equus quagga). The contribution of Equidae to the total fossil assemblage of Cooper’s D is relatively low, and these remains were likely accumulated by various predators such as spotted and brown hyenas and leopards. The Equidae, as well as the other fauna from Cooper’s D supports the existence of grassland, wooded and water components in the vicinity of the site

An initial assessment of zooarchaeological assemblage sizes from South Africa

Large faunal assemblages remain a concern in zooarchaeology. Without sufficiently large assemblages, interpretations about the past are less secure. The number of potential taxa in an assemblage is related to various factors such as the number of species found in an ecological zone, economic activities (hunting vs. farming) and taphonomy. In South Africa, no attempt has been made to determine what constitutes a sufficiently representative assemblage size, yet animal remains are frequently utilised to infer aspects of human behaviour during the past. We use faunal assemblages analysed using a standardised method, and we plot the number of taxa against the number of identified specimens (NISP). This way, we are able to determine the asymptote point of a faunal assemblage. Our initial study suggest that for subsamples, specifically those containing only large mammal remains, the asymptote is reached nearing 1000 NISP, whereas for those assemblages containing a full range of vertebrates and invertebrates, the asymptote is reached when the NISP nears 2000. The assemblages used are from different ecological zones and vastly different time periods, and each has its own taphonomic history. As a result, these asymptote points should not be considered as adequate samples for every faunal assemblage in South Africa. Instead, we advocate that zooarchaeologists analyse the largest possible assemblage to ensure more reliable interpretations are made from faunal remains. In many instances, only smaller assemblages are available; this is often beyond the control of the zooarchaeologist. Nevertheless, our data suggest that often, assemblages are adequate in size for archaeological sites as a whole; however, when comparisons are attempted between layers, occupational phases or spaces at a site, assemblage sizes are often severely reduced, requiring caution when making inferences about the past.publishedVersio

Feasting among Venda-speakers of South Africa : the Late Iron Age fauna from Mutokolwe

Mutokolwe is located in the northern part of South Africa. The site was occupied by Venda-speaking farmers during the Late Iron Age. One of the most unusual aspects from this faunal assemblage is the presence of complete metapodia of cattle and sheep. No other faunal assemblage from farming sites in southern Africa contains as many complete specimens, including long bones, as that from Mutokolwe. Skeletal completeness is one of the signatures which signal feasting activities from the archaeological record. Feasting has been recognised in different parts of the world, including Africa. Based on ethnographic accounts, feasting was also common amongst Bantu-speaking farmers of southern Africa, and in particular, Venda-speakers. Taking into account limitations posed by archaeological, ethnography and early historical descriptions, we suggest that the complete long bones of livestock signal feasting activities at Mutokolwe. The faunal assemblage from the site contains an unusual high percentage of identifiable remains, indicating that it was likely subjected to biased sampling. Moreover, few wild animals are present in the assemblage, which suggests, sampling biases aside, that domestic animals were favoured in feasts possibly due to their association with people and ancestors.The National Research Foundation (NRF), the Department of Arts and Culture and the South African National Parks (SANParks).http://anthropozoologica.comam2019Anthropology and Archaeolog

A consideration of garden hunting by Iron Age farmers in the Limpopo Valley and surrounding regions of southern Africa

Animals are often attracted to the cultivated gardens of farmers, whowould hunt these pests to protect their crops from damage. This is known as garden hunting. Since the concept of garden hunting was first described more than three decades ago, a number of anthropological studies have been undertaken in different parts of the world on hunting practices of farmers in their fields. Ethnographies from southern Africa also indicate that Bantu-speaking farmers spend a considerable amount of time and energy protecting their gardens from small, medium and even large animals. Archaeologists have also applied the concept of garden hunting to faunal samples in various parts of the world, but not yet in southern Africa. In an effort to highlight the potential archaeological significance of garden hunting in Africa, we investigate faunas from the Limpopo Valley and surrounding regions. While we could not find any conclusive evidence for garden hunting, based on circumstantial evidence we nonetheless suggest that it must have been a regular activity.The National Research Foundationhttp://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication/nfi_ditsongam2016Anthropology and Archaeolog

Rhinoceros from the Middle Stone Age in the Eastern and Western Cape of South Africa

In southern Africa, the Middle Stone Age (MSA), spanning more than 200,000 years, is a critical time period, in which Homo sapiens first appears. MSA sites located in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa have yielded extensive faunal assemblages accumulated by anatomically modern humans. Many of these faunal assemblages include evidence of rhinoceros. To investigate how rhinoceros were potentially hunted/scavenged, we compare the representation of rhinoceros with that of large bovids and zebras in these faunal assemblages across seven sites in the region. All sites contain individual specimens of rhinoceros; however most faunal assemblages yielded only a few isolated specimens (201 specimens in total, representing 5% of the total sample). Similarly low representation was found for elephant and hippopotamus. In total, 60% of all the remains of rhinoceros accumulated during the MSA were found at a single site, Die Kelders. This indicates that people rarely brought back portions of rhinoceros carcasses containing bones to cave and shelter sites. The low frequency of rhinoceros findings suggests that people either did not regularly hunt or scavenge carcasses of these large ungulates, which are known for their aggressive behaviour; or, due to their large size inhibiting portability, they camped and feasted on rhino carcasses at sites where the animals were killed. In the latter scenario, meat containing a few bones could have been dried and brought to caves.publishedVersio