Leon Jacobson
University of the Free State, Geology, Department Member
- Prehistoric Archaeology, History of Science, Museum Studies, Archaeometry, Archaeological Theory, Ethnoarchaeology, and 182 moreRock Art (Archaeology), Sociology of Science, Early Iron Age, Heritage, African Archaeology, Neolithic, History of Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology x Lithics x Lithic Technology x Quartz industries x Typology x Archaeology x Archaeometry x Archaeological Method & Theory x Archaeological Science x Statistical Methods in Archaeology x, Arch, Stone Age, Hunter-Gatherers, XRF, Pastoralism, Exchange, Pigments, Ochre, Middle Stone Age, Psychology of Science, Hematite, Khoisan studies, PXRF, Herders, Earlier Stone Age, Specularite, Microprobe, Later Stone Age, PIXE, Materials Analysis, Brandberg, Modernist vs. Postmodernism, Heritage Management, Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Ostrich Eggshell Beads, Red Ochre, portable XRF (PXRF) in Archaeology and Museum Science, Namibia, Rock art studies, Later Stone Age archaeology, Khoisan ethnography, ethnohistory, and history, and archaeological materials analysis, History of the Khoisan, Later Stone Age (Archaeology), Ceramics (Archaeology), Arid environments, South Africa (Archaeology), Archaeology of ethnicity, Archaeology and politics, Symbolism, Heritage Studies, Rock Engraving, Art Mobilier, Tomography, Neutron tomography, Khoisan, Late Stone Age, Ceramics, LSA, Sheep, Namibian Archaeology, Later Stone Age of Southern Africa, Arid land archaeology, Human Resource Management In Tourism and Hospitality, Tourism and Heritage, Local Community Development, SMEs In Tourism and Hospitality, Handicrafts Development and Promotion, TIT, Dmestick Stock, Rock Art, Stone Structures, South Africa, Khoekhoen, Khoi, Initiation Rituals, Engravings, Paintings, Nuclear Analytical techniques, Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), Archaeological Site Formation Processes, Archaeological Geochemistry, Ethno-archaeology, Engraved Ostrich Eggshell, Engraved Ostrich Eggs, Abbe Breuil, Archaeological Chemistry, South African historical archaeology, Herder Origins, Namib desert, Early Herders, Archaeological Science, Grass Seeds, Indigenous Knowledge, Damara, Affinities of National Socialism to Arabic Islam, Himba, IKS, Archaeology of Identity, Ancient Ethnicity and Identity, Coastal Subsistence, Strandlopers, Coastal Settlement, Outreach Issues, Political Archaeology, Social Archaeology, Hoodia, Desert Adaptation, Ceramic Ethnoarchaeology, Mapungubwe, Pastoralism (Archaeology), Pastoralism (Social Anthropology), Namibian Studies, Ovahimba, Citations Analyses and Knowledge, Zhizo, K2, Frontier Studies, History of salt, Archaeology of salt, Khoekhoe, Pottery Etnoarchaeology, Pottery studies, Pottery (Archaeology), Pottery, Ceramic Analysis (Archaeology), Compositional Data Statistical Analysis, KwaZulu-Natal, South African prehistory, Heritage Tourism, Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Postmodernity, Archaeology, Iron Age, Ancient Pottery Analysis, Pottery Analysis, Cognitive Evolution, Use Wear Analysis, Intangible Cultural Heritage (Culture), Heritage Conservation, Cultural Heritage, Public Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Management, Traditional Cultural Places, Die Kelders 1, Ancient DNA, Ancient DNA (Archaeology), Ancient DNA (Anthropology), Bioarchaeology, Prehistoric Art, Walter Benjamin, Rock art conservation, Archaeological Method & Theory, Ethnicity, Cultural identities and Archaeology, Landscape and Rock Art, Ceramic Petrography, 3) Petrography and Manufacturing Technology of Ancient Ceramics, Thin Section Analysis, Petrography, Memory Studies, Cultural Boundaries, Nationalism and Archaeology, Great Migration period, Ethnogenesis (archaeology), Race and Ethnicity, Agency (Archaeological Theory), Bushman, Cognitive archaeology, Social Exchange Theory, Bleek, Southern African rock art archaeology, African Archaeology and History, Desert Archaeology, Southern Desert Archaeology, Bayesian statistics & modelling, Commercial/ Contract Archaeology, Kent Flannery, African Historiography, Philosophy of Heritage, Philosophy of Culture, Archaeological and Heritage Tourism, DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARCHAEOLOGY, Anatomically Modern Humans, Interactions between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans, Hominid dispersals, Hominid Evolution, and Ostrich eggshell(Rock Art (Archaeology), Sociology of Science, Early Iron Age, Heritage, African Archaeology, Neolithic, History of Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology x Lithics x Lithic Technology x Quartz industries x Typology x Archaeology x Archaeometry x Archaeological Method & Theory x Archaeological Science x Statistical Methods in Archaeology x, Arch, Stone Age, Hunter-Gatherers, XRF, Pastoralism, Exchange, Pigments, Ochre, Middle Stone Age, Psychology of Science, Hematite, Khoisan studies, PXRF, Herders, Earlier Stone Age, Specularite, Microprobe, Later Stone Age, PIXE, Materials Analysis, Brandberg, Modernist vs. Postmodernism, Heritage Management, Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Ostrich Eggshell Beads, Red Ochre, portable XRF (PXRF) in Archaeology and Museum Science, Namibia, Rock art studies, Later Stone Age archaeology, Khoisan ethnography, ethnohistory, and history, and archaeological materials analysis, History of the Khoisan, Later Stone Age (Archaeology), Ceramics (Archaeology), Arid environments, South Africa (Archaeology), Archaeology of ethnicity, Archaeology and politics, Symbolism, Heritage Studies, Rock Engraving, Art Mobilier, Tomography, Neutron tomography, Khoisan, Late Stone Age, Ceramics, LSA, Sheep, Namibian Archaeology, Later Stone Age of Southern Africa, Arid land archaeology, Human Resource Management In Tourism and Hospitality, Tourism and Heritage, Local Community Development, SMEs In Tourism and Hospitality, Handicrafts Development and Promotion, TIT, Dmestick Stock, Rock Art, Stone Structures, South Africa, Khoekhoen, Khoi, Initiation Rituals, Engravings, Paintings, Nuclear Analytical techniques, Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), Archaeological Site Formation Processes, Archaeological Geochemistry, Ethno-archaeology, Engraved Ostrich Eggshell, Engraved Ostrich Eggs, Abbe Breuil, Archaeological Chemistry, South African historical archaeology, Herder Origins, Namib desert, Early Herders, Archaeological Science, Grass Seeds, Indigenous Knowledge, Damara, Affinities of National Socialism to Arabic Islam, Himba, IKS, Archaeology of Identity, Ancient Ethnicity and Identity, Coastal Subsistence, Strandlopers, Coastal Settlement, Outreach Issues, Political Archaeology, Social Archaeology, Hoodia, Desert Adaptation, Ceramic Ethnoarchaeology, Mapungubwe, Pastoralism (Archaeology), Pastoralism (Social Anthropology), Namibian Studies, Ovahimba, Citations Analyses and Knowledge, Zhizo, K2, Frontier Studies, History of salt, Archaeology of salt, Khoekhoe, Pottery Etnoarchaeology, Pottery studies, Pottery (Archaeology), Pottery, Ceramic Analysis (Archaeology), Compositional Data Statistical Analysis, KwaZulu-Natal, South African prehistory, Heritage Tourism, Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Postmodernity, Archaeology, Iron Age, Ancient Pottery Analysis, Pottery Analysis, Cognitive Evolution, Use Wear Analysis, Intangible Cultural Heritage (Culture), Heritage Conservation, Cultural Heritage, Public Archaeology, Cultural Heritage Management, Traditional Cultural Places, Die Kelders 1, Ancient DNA, Ancient DNA (Archaeology), Ancient DNA (Anthropology), Bioarchaeology, Prehistoric Art, Walter Benjamin, Rock art conservation, Archaeological Method & Theory, Ethnicity, Cultural identities and Archaeology, Landscape and Rock Art, Ceramic Petrography, 3) Petrography and Manufacturing Technology of Ancient Ceramics, Thin Section Analysis, Petrography, Memory Studies, Cultural Boundaries, Nationalism and Archaeology, Great Migration period, Ethnogenesis (archaeology), Race and Ethnicity, Agency (Archaeological Theory), Bushman, Cognitive archaeology, Social Exchange Theory, Bleek, Southern African rock art archaeology, African Archaeology and History, Desert Archaeology, Southern Desert Archaeology, Bayesian statistics & modelling, Commercial/ Contract Archaeology, Kent Flannery, African Historiography, Philosophy of Heritage, Philosophy of Culture, Archaeological and Heritage Tourism, DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARCHAEOLOGY, Anatomically Modern Humans, Interactions between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans, Hominid dispersals, Hominid Evolution, and Ostrich eggshell)edit
- Other affiliations:
Department of Geology, University of the Free State, Bloemfonteinedit
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The 2.056 Ma Bushveld Complex (BC) constitutes the largest layered igneous complex known. The complex forms a basin defined by strata that dip centripetally (10° to 20°). This depression presumably resulted from the load of the complex as... more
The 2.056 Ma Bushveld Complex (BC) constitutes the largest layered igneous complex known. The complex forms a basin defined by strata that dip centripetally (10° to 20°). This depression presumably resulted from the load of the complex as was proposed by a number of authors. Sagging of between 460 to 740 m appears possible, resulting in flexural-slip movement. This flexural-slip manifests in many thrust faults, (mainly mapped in mines) which display reverse-slip.
The research described in this paper focuses on the age of this deformation. A thrust fault was identified at Lonmin U14 Pit. Reverse slip along the fault displaced unconsolidated sedimentary material that unconformably overlies the Rustenburg Layered Suite strata. Archaeological artefacts (Acheulian hand axes) were discovered buried in this sedimentological layer and provide an age constraint of 1.25 Ma to 250 000 years. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating further constrained the age of the sedimentary material to less than 175 000 years. The youngest material deposited is a regional black clay layer. At Lonmin U14 Pit this clay layer carries a fabric that resulted from the movement of the thrust and this indicates an age significantly younger than 175 000 years.
The research described in this paper focuses on the age of this deformation. A thrust fault was identified at Lonmin U14 Pit. Reverse slip along the fault displaced unconsolidated sedimentary material that unconformably overlies the Rustenburg Layered Suite strata. Archaeological artefacts (Acheulian hand axes) were discovered buried in this sedimentological layer and provide an age constraint of 1.25 Ma to 250 000 years. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating further constrained the age of the sedimentary material to less than 175 000 years. The youngest material deposited is a regional black clay layer. At Lonmin U14 Pit this clay layer carries a fabric that resulted from the movement of the thrust and this indicates an age significantly younger than 175 000 years.
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We describe two new caches of whole engraved ostrich eggs from southern Namibia and the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. KEY WORDS: Ostrich eggs, engraved ostrich eggs, decorated ostrich eggs, Later Stone Age.
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Research Interests: Physical Anthropology, Human Remains (Anthropology), Repatriation of Indigenous Human Remains, History of Physical Anthropology in Germany, Human Remains and Ethics, and 4 moreData Collection, Human Skeletal Remains; Intersection Of Pathological And Biomechanical Bone Response; Retention Of Remains For Research, Human remains in Archaeology, history of physical anthropology in South Africa, and The Ethics of Curating Human Remains for Research
Research Interests: Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Pottery (Archaeology), Gift Exchange, South African heritage, and 18 moreCeramics (Archaeology), Trade, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Provenance studies of archaeological material, LSA, Later Stone Age (Archaeology), Rock art studies, Later Stone Age archaeology, Khoisan ethnography, ethnohistory, and history, and archaeological materials analysis, Precolonial African History, Non-destructive techniques of analysis of archaeological art historical materials, Tswana, Later Stone Age of Southern Africa, Pastoralism and Pastoralists, Herders, PIXE, Khoisan, 18th-19th Century Tswana, LIA Stonewall Settlements, and Landscapes and Settlements(Ceramics (Archaeology), Trade, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Provenance studies of archaeological material, LSA, Later Stone Age (Archaeology), Rock art studies, Later Stone Age archaeology, Khoisan ethnography, ethnohistory, and history, and archaeological materials analysis, Precolonial African History, Non-destructive techniques of analysis of archaeological art historical materials, Tswana, Later Stone Age of Southern Africa, Pastoralism and Pastoralists, Herders, PIXE, Khoisan, 18th-19th Century Tswana, LIA Stonewall Settlements, and Landscapes and Settlements)
(Ceramics (Archaeology), Trade, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Provenance studies of archaeological material, LSA, Later Stone Age (Archaeology), Rock art studies, Later Stone Age archaeology, Khoisan ethnography, ethnohistory, and history, and archaeological materials analysis, Precolonial African History, Non-destructive techniques of analysis of archaeological art historical materials, Tswana, Later Stone Age of Southern Africa, Pastoralism and Pastoralists, Herders, PIXE, Khoisan, 18th-19th Century Tswana, LIA Stonewall Settlements, and Landscapes and Settlements)
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The question of what exactly constitutes 'Heritage' will be discussed. Is it simply community and identity affirmation through museum displays and job creation in the tourism sector or can it also play a role in skills development in... more
The question of what exactly constitutes 'Heritage' will be discussed. Is it simply community and identity affirmation through museum displays and job creation in the tourism sector or can it also play a role in skills development in museum based conservation? The latter was once an important element in
museum practice but needs to be reintroduced formally into a strong and rigorous science- based
program.
museum practice but needs to be reintroduced formally into a strong and rigorous science- based
program.
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This study presents the application of neutron tomography to the analysis of ironstone slabs found in a late Earlier Stone Age context (Fauresmith industry) at the back of Wonderwerk Cave, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. These slabs... more
This study presents the application of neutron tomography to the analysis of ironstone slabs found in a late Earlier Stone Age context (Fauresmith industry) at the back of Wonderwerk Cave, Northern Cape Province, South Africa. These slabs have markings on the surface that might be anthropogenic, and thus significant to understanding the emergence of human symbolic behaviour. Neutron tomography proved to be an effective tool for distinguishing surface incisions from lines that are the expression of internal fissures in the rock.
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A recent review that assessed the future of geological science in this country spoke of various options for the discipline. No reference, however, was made to any attempt to develop a social objective for geoscientific work. We would like... more
A recent review that assessed the future of geological science in this country spoke of various options for the discipline. No reference, however, was made to any attempt to develop a social objective for geoscientific work. We would like to draw attention to an application of geochemistry to a specifically social objective which is likely to have an important bearing on the writing of the pre-colonial history of South Africa.
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The Canteen Kopje (CK) skull was found by a diamond digger working the Vaal River gravels in 1929. It was hailed by Robert Broom as an exceptionally robust prehistoric individual that was ancestral to modern South African populations.... more
The Canteen Kopje (CK) skull was found by a diamond digger working the Vaal River gravels in 1929. It was hailed by Robert Broom as an exceptionally robust prehistoric individual that was ancestral to modern South African populations. Further exploration of the Vaal Gravels has confirmed the antiquity of the purported find locality, but the heavily restored CK cranium offers limited possibilities for morphometric re-examination or direct dating with which to test Broom’s assertion. We used X-ray tomography to create a computerised 3D image that would provide optimal visualisation of the morphometry of the bony surfaces. The results showed that the CK cranium falls within the range of variation of Holocene Khoesan and lacks archaic features. We propose that it was probably a Late Stone Age intrusion into the Vaal Gravels or the overlying Hutton Sands.
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A cache of three pots,two of them containing a quantity of specularite, was excavated in the Bethanie district. The significance of the find in relation to Khoi ceramic studies is discussed.
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Research Interests: Statistics, Archaeozoology, Ceramics (Archaeology), Iron Age, LSA, and 17 morePottery, Faunal Analysis, Seasonality, Whales, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Coastal Archaeology, Later Stone Age, Arid land archaeology, Pastoralism and Pastoralists, Brandberg, Herders, Shellfish, Kavango, Whale Bone Huts, Erongo, and Khoekhoe
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Excavations at Geduld in northern Namibia have produced a ceramic sequence beginning 2000 years ago. They also indicate the first appearance of domestic stock by at least 1800 BP. Although ostrich eggshell beads show an increase in... more
Excavations at Geduld in northern Namibia have produced
a ceramic sequence beginning 2000 years ago. They also
indicate the first appearance of domestic stock by at least
1800 BP. Although ostrich eggshell beads show an increase
in size with the appearance of the relatively sophisticated
ceramics and larger beads have been suggested as
indicators of herding societies, there is no change in stone
tool types across the ceramic threshold. This may indicate
that, rather than dealing with pastoralists at Geduld, the
former occupants of the site were hunters on the periphery
of a pastoralist society which has yet to be identified in
northern Namibia c. 1800 BP and from whom pottery and
stock were obtained. The extreme aridity of the area has
preserved many plant species, some of which were eaten,
others used for medicinal purposes. Appended are analyses
of iron objects, one from a level dated c. 1790 BP, and
ostrich eggshell beads.
a ceramic sequence beginning 2000 years ago. They also
indicate the first appearance of domestic stock by at least
1800 BP. Although ostrich eggshell beads show an increase
in size with the appearance of the relatively sophisticated
ceramics and larger beads have been suggested as
indicators of herding societies, there is no change in stone
tool types across the ceramic threshold. This may indicate
that, rather than dealing with pastoralists at Geduld, the
former occupants of the site were hunters on the periphery
of a pastoralist society which has yet to be identified in
northern Namibia c. 1800 BP and from whom pottery and
stock were obtained. The extreme aridity of the area has
preserved many plant species, some of which were eaten,
others used for medicinal purposes. Appended are analyses
of iron objects, one from a level dated c. 1790 BP, and
ostrich eggshell beads.
Research Interests: Rock Art (Archaeology), Pottery, Sheep, Namibia, Pastoralism, and 14 moreMetal, Namibian Archaeology, Later Stone Age of Southern Africa, Later Stone Age, Arid land archaeology, Herders, Ostrich Eggshell Beads, Khoisan, Rock Engravings, Early Herders, Domesticated Stock, Iron Artefacts, Geduld Cave, and Khoekhoe
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Since the publication of the Geduld report (Smith & Jacobson 1995) there has been a strong and somewhat polemical response to it by Kinahan (1995, 1996; but see Smith et al. 1996). I would like to respond to a few matters of fact, and... more
Since the publication of the Geduld report (Smith &
Jacobson 1995) there has been a strong and somewhat
polemical response to it by Kinahan (1995, 1996; but see
Smith et al. 1996). I would like to respond to a few
matters of fact, and also to examine briefly the theoretical
basis for Kinahan's responses.
Jacobson 1995) there has been a strong and somewhat
polemical response to it by Kinahan (1995, 1996; but see
Smith et al. 1996). I would like to respond to a few
matters of fact, and also to examine briefly the theoretical
basis for Kinahan's responses.
Research Interests: Rock Art (Archaeology), Migration, Archaeological Theory, Ceramics (Archaeology), Archaeology of Identity, and 21 morePottery, Faunal Analysis, Rock Art, Sheep, Namibia, Domestication, Namibian Archaeology, Later Stone Age, Arid land archaeology, Brandberg, Herders, Pastoralist Archaeology, Namib desert, Ostrich Eggshell Beads, Rock Paintings, Khoi, Seasonal Mobility, Early Herders, Geduld Cave, Herder Origins, and Khoekhoe(Pottery, Faunal Analysis, Rock Art, Sheep, Namibia, Domestication, Namibian Archaeology, Later Stone Age, Arid land archaeology, Brandberg, Herders, Pastoralist Archaeology, Namib desert, Ostrich Eggshell Beads, Rock Paintings, Khoi, Seasonal Mobility, Early Herders, Geduld Cave, Herder Origins, and Khoekhoe)
(Pottery, Faunal Analysis, Rock Art, Sheep, Namibia, Domestication, Namibian Archaeology, Later Stone Age, Arid land archaeology, Brandberg, Herders, Pastoralist Archaeology, Namib desert, Ostrich Eggshell Beads, Rock Paintings, Khoi, Seasonal Mobility, Early Herders, Geduld Cave, Herder Origins, and Khoekhoe)
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Research Interests: Ethnoarchaeology, Pottery (Archaeology), Archaeological Chemistry, Trade, Provenance studies of archaeological material, and 14 moreIron Age, Archaeology, Historical Archaeology. Medieval Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Identities, Material Culture, Artefact Studies, Diaspora Studies, Trade and Exchange, Ceramics, Ovamboland, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Source, Clay, PIXE, Temper, Pre-Colonial Trade, Pottery Traders, Kavango, and Caprivi(Iron Age, Archaeology, Historical Archaeology. Medieval Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Identities, Material Culture, Artefact Studies, Diaspora Studies, Trade and Exchange, Ceramics, Ovamboland, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Source, Clay, PIXE, Temper, Pre-Colonial Trade, Pottery Traders, Kavango, and Caprivi)
(Iron Age, Archaeology, Historical Archaeology. Medieval Archaeology, Anthropology, Social Identities, Material Culture, Artefact Studies, Diaspora Studies, Trade and Exchange, Ceramics, Ovamboland, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Source, Clay, PIXE, Temper, Pre-Colonial Trade, Pottery Traders, Kavango, and Caprivi)
The origin of the large excavations is explained.
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A number of open station settlements characterised by the occurrence of stone structures are described together with their general ecological setting.
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"An eye witness account of coastal people along the northern Namibian coast was recently found in the State Archives, Windhoek (Elers 1907). In view of current interest in coastal settlement and subsistence, it was thought worthwhile to... more
"An eye witness account of coastal people along the northern Namibian coast was recently found in the State Archives, Windhoek (Elers 1907). In view of current interest in coastal settlement and subsistence, it was thought worthwhile to reproduce relevant parts of the document. It shows that small groups of people were living on the coast searching for beached whales."
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A summary of new investigations into the archaeology and rock art of the Brandberg.
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The bead data from the Geduld Early Herder component is presented. The distribution forms a sub-set of the Type III assemblage that I call Type IIIA to differentiate from the Later Herder assemblage now referred to as Type IIIB.
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This paper provides data showing that springbok and not gemsbok dominate Brandberg rock art contrary to Vinnicombe's belief, based on Rudner's data, that a gemsbok creation myth existed in these areas.
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The size distributions of ostrich eggshell beads from a number of central Namibian assemblages fall into three types characterized by the presence or absence of beads larger than 7,5 mm in maximum diameter and by the shape of the... more
The size distributions of ostrich eggshell beads from a
number of central Namibian assemblages fall into three
types characterized by the presence or absence of beads
larger than 7,5 mm in maximum diameter and by the
shape of the distribution. Type I is associated with preherding
LSA assemblages; Type II is associated with
LSA assemblages post-dating the arrival of herding; and
Type III is characteristic of herder assemblages since
800 BP. In addition, the relevance of beads as indicators
of site function and seasonality is also commented upon.
number of central Namibian assemblages fall into three
types characterized by the presence or absence of beads
larger than 7,5 mm in maximum diameter and by the
shape of the distribution. Type I is associated with preherding
LSA assemblages; Type II is associated with
LSA assemblages post-dating the arrival of herding; and
Type III is characteristic of herder assemblages since
800 BP. In addition, the relevance of beads as indicators
of site function and seasonality is also commented upon.
Research Interests: Archaeological Method & Theory, Hunter-Gatherers (Anthropology), Archaeology of Identity, Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology, Beads, and 15 moreSeasonality, Style, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Hunter-Gatherers, Coastal Archaeology, Later Stone Age, Pastoralism and Pastoralists, Brandberg, Herders, Ostrich Eggshell Beads, Stylistic Analysis, Walvis Bay, Site Function, and Khoekhoe
A paper by Foley (1982) had reconsidered the role of hunting large mammals by tropical hunter-gatherers. He argued that regions that receive less than 500mm mean annual rainfall support economies that are more dependent on gathering than... more
A paper by Foley (1982) had reconsidered the role of hunting large mammals by tropical hunter-gatherers. He argued that regions that receive less than 500mm mean annual rainfall support economies that are more dependent on gathering than on large-mammal hunting. This paper evaluates the relevance of Foley's model for understanding hunter-gatherer adaptations in the Namib Desert and demonstrates that hunting rather than gathering was more important on a seasonal basis.
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Research Interests: Pottery (Archaeology), Provenance, Ceramics (Archaeology), Archaeological Chemistry, Compositional Data Statistical Analysis, and 15 moreCorrespondence Analysis, Trade, Iron Age, Ethno-archaeology, Exchange, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Source, Clay, Brandberg, PIXE, Temper, Kavango, PIPPS, and Caprivi(Correspondence Analysis, Trade, Iron Age, Ethno-archaeology, Exchange, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Source, Clay, Brandberg, PIXE, Temper, Kavango, PIPPS, and Caprivi)
(Correspondence Analysis, Trade, Iron Age, Ethno-archaeology, Exchange, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Source, Clay, Brandberg, PIXE, Temper, Kavango, PIPPS, and Caprivi)
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A series of radiocarbon dates from sites in the Brandberg are presented.
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A short background to Alfred Duggan-Cronin.
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This article relates an eye witness account of the extreme changes undergone from season to season in the Namib Desert and how this provides an explanation for the presence of archaeological remains in what at first appears to be an... more
This article relates an eye witness account of the extreme changes undergone from season to season in the Namib Desert and how this provides an explanation for the presence of archaeological remains in what at first appears to be an inhospitable environment.
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A popular, illustrated review of archaeological and ethnobotanical research in the Brandberg, Namibia
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A more popular account of attempts to date rock engravings by using the cation-ratio technique. Illustrated with photos of rock engravings from Twyfelfontein.
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Research Interests: Archaeology, Rock Art (Archaeology), Arid Land Ecology, Desert Ecology, Pastoralism (Archaeology), and 12 moreLSA, Namibia, Rock art research, Rock painting, Later Stone Age of Southern Africa, Arid land archaeology, Brandberg, Herders, Namib desert, Seasonal Mobility, Desert Archaeology, and Desert Settlement
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Creating a chemical compositional profile of a ceramic suitable for provenance studies depends upon the sample to be used in the analysis being representative of the whole vessel. This study examines this question for sherds used in XRF... more
Creating a chemical compositional profile of a ceramic suitable for provenance studies depends upon the sample to be used in the analysis being representative of the whole vessel. This study examines this question for sherds used in XRF analyses.
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A brief review of projects relating to archaeological and heritage science carried out using PIXE, PIPPS and RBS at the van de Graaff accelerator, Faure over the last 40 years.
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Research Interests: Pottery (Archaeology), X-ray Tomography, Ceramic Analysis (Archaeology), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectroscopy, Ceramics (Archaeology), and 6 moreTomography, Provenance studies of archaeological material, portable XRF (PXRF) in Archaeology and Museum Science, pXRF Applications in Archaeology, PIXE, and Microprobe
"Can rock art sites be classified along the same lines as, for example, ceramic assemblages? Are there variables or combinations of variables, for example painting styles, subject matter or even paint recipes, that have a bounded spatial... more
"Can rock art sites be classified along the same lines as, for example, ceramic assemblages? Are there variables or combinations of variables, for example painting styles, subject matter or even paint recipes, that have a bounded spatial distribution that serves to link sites to each other? Or is the subject matter random? Is there some deeper structure to the choice of non-human subject matter? On a regional level there are obvious differences in the animal species that have been but this can be partially related to the local ecology, ie, eland are common in the Drakensberg whilst springbok are most common in the Brandberg, Namibia. It is, however, on a more localised level that this preliminary study takes place.
We outline here a method to draw out this potential deeper structure. Identifiable animal paintings were counted from a group of sites in the lower Tsisab Ravine, Brandberg, Namibia. Firstly, a correspondence analysis of the data was carried out. Sites were then clustered into three groups according to their loadings on the animal categories and a chi-squared test was performed. The result was that there is a very strong tendency for springbok, ostrich and gemsbok paintings to appear at some sites and not others. "
Poster prepared for: 14th Congress of the Pan African Archaeological Association for Prehistory and Related Studies and the 22nd Biennial Meeting of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa from 14-18 July 2014.
We outline here a method to draw out this potential deeper structure. Identifiable animal paintings were counted from a group of sites in the lower Tsisab Ravine, Brandberg, Namibia. Firstly, a correspondence analysis of the data was carried out. Sites were then clustered into three groups according to their loadings on the animal categories and a chi-squared test was performed. The result was that there is a very strong tendency for springbok, ostrich and gemsbok paintings to appear at some sites and not others. "
Poster prepared for: 14th Congress of the Pan African Archaeological Association for Prehistory and Related Studies and the 22nd Biennial Meeting of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa from 14-18 July 2014.
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"Radiography and Tomography as an analytical method are based on the viewing of the attenuation (absorption and/or scattering) of penetrating radiation (X-rays, gamma rays, neutrons) caused by the presence of a discontinuity,... more
"Radiography and Tomography as an analytical
method are based on the viewing of the
attenuation (absorption and/or scattering) of
penetrating radiation (X-rays, gamma rays,
neutrons) caused by the presence of a
discontinuity, inclusion or changes in material
density when passing through a sample under
investigation. Such facilities are being made
available for researchers and post graduate
students at the South African Nuclear Energy
Corporation (Necsa), located West of Pretoria,
South Africa. As an analytical probe that is nondestructive
of nature, the method has been
successfully applied in fields of study such as
geosciences, archaeology, paleosciences,
engineering- and material sciences. Facilities
are made available within the National System
of Innovation and equipment at Necsa are being
sponsored through the Department of Science
and Technology (DST) and the National
Research Fund (NRF)."
method are based on the viewing of the
attenuation (absorption and/or scattering) of
penetrating radiation (X-rays, gamma rays,
neutrons) caused by the presence of a
discontinuity, inclusion or changes in material
density when passing through a sample under
investigation. Such facilities are being made
available for researchers and post graduate
students at the South African Nuclear Energy
Corporation (Necsa), located West of Pretoria,
South Africa. As an analytical probe that is nondestructive
of nature, the method has been
successfully applied in fields of study such as
geosciences, archaeology, paleosciences,
engineering- and material sciences. Facilities
are made available within the National System
of Innovation and equipment at Necsa are being
sponsored through the Department of Science
and Technology (DST) and the National
Research Fund (NRF)."
Research Interests: X-ray Tomography, Palaeoanthropology, Fauresmith, Tomography, Rock Art, and 11 moreNeutron tomography, Wonderwerk Cave, Radiography, Art Mobilier, Canteen Kopje, Egyptian Bronze Falcon, Fossil Bone Morphology, 3D Neutron Tomography, 3D Micro-focus X-ray Tomography, Human Palaeoanthropology, and Rock Engraving
Neotectonic activity in the 2.06 Ga Bushveld intrusive complex, South Africa, challenges concepts on the thermal and isostatic equilibrium of cratonic lithosphere. Open-pit mine exposures show recent flexural slip and anorthosite... more
Neotectonic activity in the 2.06 Ga Bushveld intrusive complex, South Africa, challenges concepts on the thermal and isostatic equilibrium of cratonic lithosphere. Open-pit mine exposures show recent flexural slip and anorthosite overthrusting a paleo-erosion surface carrying unsolidified alluvial conglomerate and clay, and an archeological artifact (1.5-0.3 Ma) embedded within the conglomerate.
Syn-emplacement flexural slip is due to crustal flexure from loading and differential thermal contraction of mafic-layered intrusions during cooling, but recent flexural slip would imply isostatic equilibration and thermal contraction more than 2,000 million years after emplacement of the Bushveld Complex.
We propose recent flexural slip in the Bushveld Complex as far-field effect of rift-tip propagation of a rift branch into cratonic lithosphere, reflected as shallow seismicity, normal faulting and graben formation. Historic seismicity and graben structures across the Bushveld Complex do exist and document extension with fault trends consistent with the current extensional stress field in southern Africa.
Syn-emplacement flexural slip is due to crustal flexure from loading and differential thermal contraction of mafic-layered intrusions during cooling, but recent flexural slip would imply isostatic equilibration and thermal contraction more than 2,000 million years after emplacement of the Bushveld Complex.
We propose recent flexural slip in the Bushveld Complex as far-field effect of rift-tip propagation of a rift branch into cratonic lithosphere, reflected as shallow seismicity, normal faulting and graben formation. Historic seismicity and graben structures across the Bushveld Complex do exist and document extension with fault trends consistent with the current extensional stress field in southern Africa.
Research Interests:
Science in general from radiocarbon dating to geochemistry can debunk static interpretations of the African Iron Age. The former for example showed that IA farming communities in South Africa were present 1000 years before colonial... more
Science in general from radiocarbon dating to geochemistry can debunk static interpretations of the African Iron Age. The former for example showed that IA farming communities in South Africa were present 1000 years before colonial histories claimed. The latter can provide a more nuanced, dynamic understanding of the origin and distribution of decorated ceramics by provenancing them.