Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T14:21:27.412Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Some Recent Radiocarbon Dates from Eastern and Southern Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2009

Extract

This Article follows in the series started by Fagan and continued for eastern and southern Africa by Phillipson, Sutton and Soper. The scope remains much the same, covering in time the later part of the Stone Age sequence as well as the Iron Age. Geographically, however, there are some changes: the Sudan has been excluded as it was covered by the recent review of North and West African dates, while a detailed chronological review of francophone Central Africa is in progress and therefore this region has been excluded.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Posnansky, M. and McIntosh, R., ‘New Radiocarbon dates for northern and western AfricaJ. Afr. Hist., xvii, 2 (1976), 161–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

2 de Maret, P., Cahen, D. and van Noten, F., ‘Radiocarbon dates from central Africa: a synthesisJ. Afr. Hist., forthcoming.Google Scholar

3 Clark, R. M., ‘A calibration curve for radiocarbon datesAntiquity, xlix (1975), 251–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

5 Antiquity, xlvi (1972), 265.Google Scholar

6 This is mentioned in Soper, R. C., ‘New radiocarbon dates for eastern and southern AfricaJ. Afr. Hist., xv, 2 (1974), 175–92CrossRefGoogle Scholar. For a useful review of chronological developments see Clark, J. D., ‘Africa in prehistory: peripheral or paramount?Man, x, 2 (1975), 175–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

7 An important review of both the cultural and environmental succession is Klein, R. G., ‘Environment and subsistence of prehistoric man in the southern Cape Province, South AfricaWorld Archaeol., v, 3 (1974), 240–84Google Scholar. See also Fairhall, A. W., Young, A. W. and Erickson, J. L., ‘University of Washington dates iv’, Radiocarbon, xviii, 2 (1976), 221–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

8 Carter, P. L. and Vogel, J. C., ‘The dating of industrial assemblages from stratified sites in eastern LesothoMan, ix, 4 (1974), 557–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

9 Wendt, W. E., ‘Preliminary report on an archaeological research program in South West AfricaCimbebasia (B), ii (1972), 161Google Scholar. Wendt, W. E., ‘“Art Mobilier” from the Apollo 11 Cave, South West Africa: Africa's oldest dated works of art’, S. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxxi, 121 and 122 (1976), 511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

10 See note 7.

11 Wendorf, F. et al. , ‘Dates for the Middle Stone Age of East AfricaScience, clxxxvii (1975). 740–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

12 Klein, ‘Environment’ 257Google Scholar; Carter, and Vogel, , ‘Dating’ 570Google Scholar; Wendt, , ‘Art Mobilier’ 7.Google Scholar

13 Soper, , ‘Dates’ 178.Google Scholar

14 Wendt, W. E., ‘“Art Mobilier” aus der Apollo 11—Grotte in Südwest-Afrika: Die ältesten datierten Kunstwerke AfrikasActa Praehist. Arch., v (1974), 142Google Scholar. A summary in English is Wendt, , ‘Art Mobilier’ see note 9Google Scholar. The relevant dates are Pta–1040, KN–1–813, KN–2056.

15 Klein, , ‘Environment’.Google Scholar

16 Nelson Bay, Kangkara and Melkhoutboom, op. cit., 272. The relevant dates are GrN–5880, 1–6516, UW–175, UW–233.

17 Carter, and Vogel, , ‘Dating’ 569.Google Scholar

18 Klein, , ‘Environment’Google Scholar; Fairhall, et al. , ‘Dates’Google Scholar. The relevant dates are from Boomplaas UW–301, Byeneskranskop UW–287, 1–7948, Elands Bay Pta–686, 732, 737, UW–192, 193, Melkhoutboom GaK–1538, Pta–666, Nelson Bay Pta–391, 392, Q–1085, UW–162, 164, 177, 178, 1–2615, 6515, UW–218 (the latter two are attributed to the Robberg Industry in Klein, , ‘Environment’ but more recently to the Albany in Fairhall et al., ‘Dates’).Google Scholar

19 An important review is Deacon, J., ‘Patterning in the Radiocarbon dates for the Wilton/Smithfield complex in southern Africa’, S. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxix (1974), 318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

20 Wendt, , ‘Art Mobilier’ 7Google Scholar. Dates are Pta–1010, Pta–1021, KN–1–612, KN–1–613, KN–I–614, KN–1–811.

21 Mason, R. J., ‘Later Stone Age plant remains from Kruger Cave, Olifantsnek, Rustenburg districtS. Afr. J. Sc., lxx (1974), 376.Google Scholar

22 Cooke, C. K., Summers, R. and Robinson, K. R., ‘Rhodesian prehistory re-examined, Part 1: the Stone AgeArnoldia, ii, 12 (1966), 18Google Scholar. The relationship between these assemblages is recognized by Sampson in his ‘Oakhurst Complex'—Sampson, C. G., The Stone Age archaeology of southern Africa (New York, 1974).Google Scholar

23 Klein, , ‘Environment'Google Scholar; Fairhall, et al. , ‘Dates'.Google Scholar

24 Fairhall, et al. , ‘Dates’ 222–3.Google Scholar

25 Ibid., 225.

26 Wendt, , ‘Art Mobilier’ 6.Google Scholar

27 Sandelowsky, B. H., ‘Archaeological investigations at Mirabib Hill Rock ShelterS. Afr. archaeol. Soc, Goodwin Ser. ii (1974), 6572.Google Scholar

28 For discussion and references see Clark, , ‘Africa in prehistory’ 191Google Scholar. Also Gramly, R. M., ‘Upper Pleistocene archaeological occurrences at site GvJM/22, Lukenya Hill, KenyaMan, in press.Google Scholar

29 Sheppard, J. G. and Swart, E. R., ‘Rhodesian radiocarbon measurements V’, Radiocarbon, xv, 3 (1973), 545–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

30 Soper, , ‘Dates’.Google Scholar

31 Gramly, , ‘Upper Pleistocene’.Google Scholar

32 Deacon, H. J., ‘A review of the post-Pleistocene in South AfricaS. Afr. archaeol. Soc, Goodwin Ser. i (1972), 2645Google Scholar. Klein, , ‘Environment’.Google Scholar

33 Fairhall, et al. , ‘Dates’ 224.Google Scholar

34 , J. and Rudner, I., ‘A note on early excavations at RobbergS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxviii (1973). 94–6.Google Scholar

35 de Villiers, H., ‘Human skeletal remains from Cape St Francis, Cape Province’Google Scholar; Thackeray, F. and Feast, E. C., ‘A midden burial from Cape St. Francis, eastern Cape ProvinceS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxix (1974), 8992.Google Scholar

36 Fairhall, et al. , ‘Dates’ 226Google Scholar; Deacon, H. J. and Brooker, M., ‘The Holocene and Upper Pleistocene sequence in the southern CapeAnn. S. Afr. Mus., lxxi (1976), 203–14.Google Scholar

37 Deacon, J., ‘Patterning’.Google Scholar

38 Haynes, V. and Haas, H., ‘Southern Methodist University Radiocarbon Date List IRadiocarbon, xvi, 3 (1974), 368–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

39 Phillipson's report is forthcoming in Azania, xii. For other stone bowl dates see Merrick, H. V., ‘Aspects of the size and shape variation of the East African stone bowlsAzania, viii (1973), 115–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

40 GX–3910. 3911. 3912, 3915 and 3916 are associated with pottery, GX–3913, 3914 are not. GX–3913 is anomalous in view of the sequence.

41 Soper, , ‘Dates’Google Scholar; Sutton, J. E. G., ‘New radiocarbon dates for Eastern and Southern AfricaJ. Afr. Hist., xiii, 1 (1972), 124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

42 Rudner, J., ‘Radiocarbon dates from the Brandberg in South West AfricaS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxvii (1973), 164–5Google Scholar; Jacobson, L. and Vogel, J. C., ‘Recent radiocarbon dates from the BrandbergS. Afr. J. Sc., lxxi (1975), 349.Google Scholar

44 , M. J. and Carr, A. C., Jacobson, L. and Vogel, J. C., ‘Radiocarbon dates from the Zerrissene Mountain open station settlement complexS. Afr. J. Sci., lxxii (1976), 251–2.Google Scholar

45 Sydow, W., ‘Contributions to the history and protohistory of the Topnaar strandloper settlement at the Kuiseb River mouth near Walvis BayS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxviii (1973) 73–7CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Jacobson, L. and Vogel, J. C., ‘Radiocarbon dates for a shell midden complex from Wortel, Walvis BayMadoqua, in press.Google Scholar

46 Wendt, , ‘Preliminary report’ and ‘Art Mobilier’.Google Scholar

47 Parkington, J. and Poggenpoel, C., ‘Excavations at De Hangen, 1968S. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxvi (1971), 336CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Soper, , ‘Dates’.Google Scholar

48 Avery, G., ‘Discussion on the age and use of tidal fish-traps (visvywers)S. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxx (1975), 105–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

49 Fairhall, et al. , ‘Dates’Google Scholar; Soper, , ‘Dates’.Google Scholar

50 Schweitzer, F. R., ‘Archaeological evidence for sheep at the CapeS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxix (1974), 7582CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Tankard, A. J. and Schweitzer, F. R., ‘The geology of Die Kelders Cave and environs: a palaeoenvironmental studyS. Afr. J. Sci., lxx, 12 (1974), 365–9.Google Scholar

51 Avery, G., ‘Open station shell midden sites and associated features from the Pearly Beach area, south-western CapeS. Afr. archaeol, Bull., xxix (1974), 104–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

52 Fairhall, et al. , ‘Dates’Google Scholar; Deacon, H. J. and Brooker, M., ‘The Holocene and Upper Pleistocene sequence in the southern CapeAnn. S. Afr. Mus., lxxi (1976), 203–14.Google Scholar

53 Carter, and Vogel, , ‘Dating’.Google Scholar

54 Soper, , ‘Dates’Google Scholar; Davies, O., ‘Excavations at Shongweni south cave: the oldest evidence to date for cultigens in southern AfricaAnn. Natal Mus., xxii, 2 (1975), 627–62.Google Scholar

55 Derricourt, R. M., ‘Radiocarbon chronology of the Late Stone Age and Iron Age in South AfricaS. Afr. J. Sci., lxix (1973), 280–4Google Scholar; Sutton, , ‘Dates’.Google Scholar

56 Mason, R. J., ‘The last Stone Age San (Bushman) of the Vaal-Limpopo BasinS. Afr. J. Sci., lxx (1974), 375.Google Scholar

57 Humphreys, A. J. B., ‘A preliminary report on test excavations at Dikbosch Shelter I, Herbert district, northern CapeS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxix (1974), 115–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar; ‘Burchell's Shelter: the history and archaeology of a northern Cape rock shelter’ S. Afr. archaeol. Bull, xxx (1975), 318.Google Scholar

58 Humphreys, A. J. B., ‘A report on excavations carried out on a Type R settlement unit (Khartoum I) in the Jacobsdal district, O.F.S.Ann. Cape Prov. Mus., ix, 8 (1973), 2357Google Scholar; Maggs, T. M. O'C., Iron Age communities of the southern Highveld (Pietermaritzburg, 1976).Google Scholar

59 Humphreys, A. J. B., ‘Note on a date for a burial from the Riet RiverS. Afr. J. Sci., lxx (1974). 271.Google Scholar

60 Chittick, H. N., ‘Excavations at Aksum: a preliminary reportAzania, ix (1974), 159205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

61 Soper, , ‘Dates’Google Scholar; Robinson, K. R. ‘The Iron Age of the upper and lower Shire, Malawi’ Department of Antiquities, Publication No. 13 (Zomba, 1973).Google Scholar

62 N–1607; N–1440 is from a similar context but the sample appears to be contaminated. Compare with N–1284, Soper, , ‘Dates’Google Scholar. For Bisson's work at Kansanshi see, for example, ‘Prehistoric copper mining in north-western Zambia’ Archaeology, xxvii (1974), iv, 242–7.Google Scholar

63 Clark, J. D. and Fagan, B. M., ‘Charcoals, sands and channel-decorated pottery from Northern RhodesiaAmer. Anth., lxvii (1965), 354–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

64 Fagan, B. M., ‘Radiocarbon dates for sub-Saharah Africa: VIJ. Afr. Hist., x, 1 (1969), 149–69CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Phillipson, D. W., ‘Archaeology and Bantu linguisticsWorld Archaeol., viii, 1 (1976), 6582CrossRefGoogle Scholar

65 Prinsloo, H. P., ‘Early Iron Age site at Klein Afrika near Wylliespoort, Soutpansberg Mountains, South AfricaS. Afr. J. Sci., lxx (1974), 271–3.Google Scholar

66 Klapwijk, M., ‘A preliminary report on pottery from the north-eastern Transvaal, South Africa’, S. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxix (1974), 1923.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

67 Evers, T. M., ‘Recent Iron Age research in the Eastern Transvaal, South AfricaS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxx (1975), 7183, and pers. comm.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

68 Sutton, , ‘Dates’.Google Scholar

69 Soper, , ‘Dates’Google Scholar; Inskeep, R. R. and Maggs, T. M. O'C., ‘Unique art objects in the Iron Age of the Transvaal, South AfricaS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxx (1975), 114–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

70 Mason, R. J., ‘Background to the Transvaal Iron Age—new discoveries at Olifant-spoort and BroederstroomJ. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Met., lxxiv (1974), 211–16Google Scholar; van Genderen, A. M., ‘Personal ornament in the Early Iron Age of the Transvaal: new discoveries at site 84/73, Broederstroom, Transvaal, South AfricaS. Afr.J. Sci., lxx (1974), 218.Google Scholar

71 Mason, R. J. et al. , ‘Early Iron Age settlement of southern AfricaS. Afr. J. Sci., lxix (1973), 324–6Google Scholar; Inskeep, and Maggs, , ‘Art Objects’.Google Scholar

72 Schofield, J. F., Primitive Pottery (Cape Town, 1948).Google Scholar

73 Maggs, T. M. O'C. and Michael, M. A., ‘Ntshekane, an Early Iron Age site in the Tugela Basin, NatalAnn Natal Mus., xxii, 3 (1976), 705–39.Google Scholar

74 Dutton, T. P., ‘Iron smelting furnace in the Ndumu Game ReserveLammergeyer, xii (1970), 3740.Google Scholar

75 Derricourt, R. M., Prehistoric man in the Ciskei and Transkei (in press).Google Scholar

76 Derricourt, R. M., ‘Some coastal shell middens in southern MozambiqueAzania, x (1975), 135–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

77 Oliver, R. and Fagan, B. M., Africa in the Iron Age (Cambridge, 1975).Google Scholar

78 Phillipson, D. W., ‘Archaeology’.Google Scholar

79 This review; also Huffman, T. N., ‘Cattle from MabveniS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxx (1975), 23–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

80 Ehret, quoted in Phillipson, , ‘Archaeology’, 78.Google Scholar

81 Robinson, K. R., ‘Iron Age sites in the Dedza district of Malawi, Malawi Department of Antiquities, Publication No. 16 (1975)Google Scholar; Sheppard, and Swart, , ‘Measurements V’.Google Scholar

82 Phillipson, D. W., ‘Iron Age history and archaeology in Zambia’, J. Afr. Hist., xv, 1 (1974), 125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

83 Bisson, M. S., unpubl. Ph.D. thesis. Anthropology Dept. McGill UniversityGoogle Scholar. See also note 62 above and Bisson, M. S., ‘Copper-currency in Central Africa: the archaeological evidenceWorld Archaeology, vi, 3 (1975), 276–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

84 Garlake, P. S., ‘Excavation of a Zimbabwe in MozambiqueAntiquity, l, 198 (1976), 146–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

85 Summers, R., Zimbabwe: a Rhodesian mystery (Johannesburg, 1963).Google Scholar

86 Huffman, T. N., ‘An Arab coin from ZimbabweArnoldia, v, 32 (1972), 17.Google Scholar

87 Rudd, S., ‘Lekkerwater Ruins, Tsindi Hill, Theydon, RhodesiaProceedings and Transactions of the Rhodesia Scientific Association, lii, 2 (1968), 3850.Google Scholar

88 Ibid. 49; Phillipson, D. W., ‘Notes on the later prehistoric radiocarbon chronology of eastern and southern AfricaJ. Afr. Hist., xi, 1 (1970), 115CrossRefGoogle Scholar; SR–124 of the fifteenth/ sixteenth century, also reported by Phillipson, is perhaps a little late.

89 Monro, D. F. and Spies, C. W., ‘Excavations at Musimbira, Bikita district, Rhodesia’, Arnoldia, xxii, 7 (1975). 111.Google Scholar

90 E.g. Robinson, K. R., Khami Ruins (Cambridge, 1959)Google Scholar; Garlake, P. S., ‘The value of imported ceramics in the dating and interpretation of the Rhodesian Iron Age’, J. Afr. Hist., ix, 1 (1968), 1333.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

91 Huffman, T. N., ‘A radiocarbon date from Regina Ruins, Rhodesia’, S. Afr. J. Sci., lxxii, 6 (1976), 180Google Scholar. The Lab. No. is given as Pta–1549 but Huffman, pers. comm., has supplied the No. Pta–1553.

92 Sheppard, and Swart, , ‘Measurements V’.Google Scholar

93 Pta–605 a.d. I700±50; Soper, , ‘Dates’.Google Scholar

94 Huffman, T. N., ‘Radiocarbon date from Zimbiti Ruin, Inyanga, RhodesiaS. Afr. J. Sci., lxxi (1975), 247–8.Google Scholar

95 Garlake, P. S., Great Zimbabwe (London: 1973)Google Scholar; Huffman, T. N., ‘Ancient mining and ZimbabweJ. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Met., lxxiv (1974), 238–42.Google Scholar

96 Sheppard, and Swart, , ‘Measurements V’.Google Scholar

98 Garlake, P. S., ‘An Iron Age site on the Mukwichi River, Urungwe’, S. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxvi (1971), 147–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

99 Dickinson, R. W., ‘The archaeology of the Sofala coastS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxx (1975). 84104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

100 Gilot, E. and Capron, P. C., ‘Louvain natural radiocarbon measurements XII’, Radiocarbon, xv, 1 (1973), 127–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

101 Vogel, J. C., Radiocarbon, xii (1970), 444–71Google Scholar; Evers, T. M. and van den Berg, R. P., ‘Ancient mining in southern Africa, with reference to a copper mine in the Harmony Block, north-eastern TransvaalJ. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Met., lxxiv (1974), 217–26.Google Scholar

102 Klapwijk, M., ‘An Early Iron Age site near Tzaneen, NE. Transvaal’, S. Afr.J. Sci., lxix (1973), 324Google Scholar; Evers, T. M., ‘Recent Iron Age research in the eastern Transvaal, South AfricaS. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xxx (1975), 7183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

103 Mason, R. J., ‘Background to the Transvaal Iron Age—new discoveries at Olifants-poort and BroederstroomJ. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Met., lxxiv (1974), 211–16.Google Scholar

104 Voigt, E., ‘Preliminary report on Welgegund: an Iron Age burial site’, S. Afr. archaeol. Bull., xviii (1972), 155–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

105 Maggs, , ‘Communities’.Google Scholar

106 Ibid. The Kubung have been referred to incorrectly as Leghoya in much of the earlier literature.

107 Davies, O., ‘Excavations at the walled early Iron Age site in Moor Park near Estcourt, Natal’, Ann. Natal Mus., xxii, 1 (1974), 289323.Google Scholar