Heritage Cases

Research on both sites are important due to the important role they play as key Early Iron Age research sites. The Early Iron Age is a crucial time in southern African history as it is associated with the first African farmers, the development of early trade networks, the introduction of cereal crops, domesticated animals, metallurgy, ceramics and permanent settlements. Early Iron Age research in the area has unfortunately rarely moved beyond establishing culture historical frameworks. As a result, there is a paucity of knowledge about the nature and potential changes of EIA society in the region and LE6 and LE7 can play crucial roles in expanding this understanding. A 2021 survey unequivocally established the archaeological importance of both LE6 and LE7 beyond that envisioned by the original excavators. Erosion during the last 30 years had exposed several archaeological features that was not recorded during earlier research. Highlights identified include: - Neo-Persian Empire/Sasanian Ceramics: The survey identified three sherds of turquoise glazed stoneware of Near East origin on Le6. These sherds were collected from archaeological deposits currently being washed out into a donga. Initial inspection suggests that these most likely date to the Sasanian or New Persian empire (c 250AD - 650AD) in present day Iran – though further analysis will have to confirm this. - Early Iron Age households: Initial mapping in 1979 and 1989 located a single location of exposed hut rubble. The May 2021 mapping recorded more than 15 huts being actively exposed by sheet erosion. Regionally, our understanding of Early Iron Age households is limited because they rarely preserve. Le6 and Le7 therefore offer a unique opportunity to study this aspect of first millennium AD southern Africa. - Metal Smithing and Smelting: Early reports made mention of infrequent finds of ore and slag. The new survey, however, identified numerous large pieces of ore, tuyere (clay bellows pipes), slag (waste matter separated from metals in smelting) and at least three furnaces. Early Iron Age furnaces in South Africa are virtually unknown since they rarely preserve. Most often, only the by-products of smelting and smithing – slag, ore, and tuyeres – are found. If these features do in fact date to the Early Iron Age, then they could possibly be some of the oldest recorded furnaces yet found in southern Africa. Their study will make a significant contribution to our understanding of the history of early metal working in Africa. Some areas of the sites which had been documented in 1989-1990 has since disappeared due to erosion. Research on both sites are important due to the important role they play as key Early Iron Age research sites. The Early Iron Age is a crucial time in southern African history as it is associated with the first African farmers, the development of early trade networks, the introduction of cereal crops, domesticated animals, metallurgy, ceramics and permanent settlements. Early Iron Age research in the area has unfortunately rarely moved beyond establishing culture historical frameworks. As a result, there is a paucity of knowledge about the nature and potential changes of EIA society in the region and LE6 and LE7 can play crucial roles in expanding this understanding. However, it was found that erosion is actively destroying large portions of both sites and an urgent archaeological rescue intervention must be initiated to recover material and document features before they are irretrievably lost. This proposal is for an excavation permit of both sites that will explore the full research potential as well as rescue archaeological material that are on the brink of being lost due to erosion. Research at the sites is defined the following aims: 1. To fully explore trade and exchange, craft production and economic strategies at LE6 and LE7. This will be done through controlled excavations of areas of high significance (e.g. location of exotic ceramics, household areas, furnace features). 2. To rescue archaeological material on the brink of being irrevocably lost due to erosion. The rescue efforts involve archaeological excavation in areas of high risk of erosion and surface wash. This is an immediate risk management action which should be carried out as soon as possible. Therefore, the permit request is for archaeological research by means of excavation and surface collection of surface material of the sites LE6 and LE7. Field research will be conducted in two phases: - Phase 1 aim to rescue exposed material and deposits in danger of being destroyed and/or washed away by erosion. - Phase 2 will concentrate on conducting fine grained excavations and analysis of artifacts in order to address the research aims outlined in the proposal.