Heritage Cases

Expanded motivation continued work Umhlatuzana Introduction We conducted an excavation campaign at the site of Umhlatuzana between June and August of 2018 (Dusseldorp & Langejans 2018). We documented the upper part of the stratigraphic sequence up to around 1.8 meters below the surface. A preliminary inventory of the cultural material suggests that we reached the top of the Middle Stone Age deposits. As there are questions about the taphonomy of the deposits of the site and it has been suggested that mixing between the upper MSA and lower LSA deposits has taken place (e.g. Kaplan 1990; Lombard et al. 2010), we aim to continue excavations. We want to document if mixing of cultural materials took place and to what extent. To achieve this aim, we want to excavate the MSA deposits and take additional samples for micromorphological sampling. Where necessary, we will take samples for OSL dating, to supplement the work conducted by Lombard et al. (2010). Background The site of Umhlatuzana preserves thick deposits of archaeological sediments, that contain important evidence on the prehistoric settlement of KwaZulu-Natal. The cultural materials documented in the 1980s in a rescue campaign (Kaplan 1990) show that the site complements the other flagship sites in the province Sibudu and Border Cave in that it fills hiatuses in the sequence of these sites (i.e. the early Later Stone Age is not represented at Sibudu and the Robberg period is not represented at Border Cave). Umhlatuzana is thus one of the few known locations with deposits documenting the transition from the Middle to the Later Stone Age (the period between ~40 000 and 20 000 years ago). However, the potential contribution of Umhlatuzana to debates on the Stone Age behaviour during the MSA and LSA is hampered by uncertainties on its taphonomy among other things. The lower levels of the site do not contain a clearly visible stratigraphy. They were initially in 5 – 10 cm spits. In an initial campaign conducted by us in 2018, an electric lighting rig, we were able to define a natural stratigraphy in these levels. However, the layers are thick units and were subdivided in ~2 cm spits (Dusseldorp & Langejans 2018). Goals of continued work The original excavations provided much information on the character of human occupations at the site, but it also opened up new questions. Building on the previous work, our research aims to clarify the remaining major uncertainties around the site, which are: 1. Are the deposits intact or did slumping or other forms of post-depositional disturbance occur, leading to mixing of remains from different periods. 2. How long exactly did the transition between the Middle and the Later Stone Age last? 3. How did the global Ice Age influence local environmental conditions and human survival strategies? We answer these questions by conducting limited geo-archaeological excavations at the site and by applying new analytical methods that were unavailable during previous research. 1. High resolution 3D recording of excavated squares using a Robotic Total Station and micromorphological research will clarify in great detail how the sediments in the site formed and if any mixing took place. 2. Optically Stimulated Luminescence dating will give more precise dates of the human occupations of the site. 3. Phytolith (microscopic plant skeletons) analysis and stable isotope analysis (study of biochemical signatures of different plant groups) will clarify how the environment changed throughout the time that people lived at the site. In addition, two cases of vandalism to the site has been reported over the previous years. In conjunction with the land-owners, we would like to consider organising communication and/or signage in English and Zulu to foster better understanding of the importance and history of the site and prevent similar damage in the future. Methods We will conduct a small geoarchaeological excavation, opening two or three squares of 0,25m2. We will excavate according to the natural stratigraphy wherever possible. Thick stratigraphic units will be excavated in spits of ≤2cm. All finds >2cm will be individually measured in 3D using a robotic total station. The sediment will be sieved over mesh sizes of 5, 2 and 1 mm. We will take micromorphological samples of each defined stratigraphic unit, by encasing a roughly 6 *10 cm block of sediment in plaster in the field. They will be shipped to a micromorphology lab to be dried and impregnated with resin. Following this, thin sections will be produced. In addition, we will take OSL samples of the main stratigraphic divisions to supplement the work of Lombard et al. 2010. These will be positioned in such a way that we can test for lateral differences in ages at similar depths below datum. This will complement the micromorphological work to demonstrate if colluvial processes displaced blocks of sediment. We will also take samples for stable isotope analysis and phytolith analysis to get an environmental context of the site. Team We have secured the collaboration of a high-quality team to ensure the analysis of the different materials and samples from the site. Dr Gerrit Dusseldorp – Leiden University, University of Johannesburg; specializes in Pleistocene Stone Age archaeology Dr Geeske Langejans – Leiden University, University of Johannesburg; Material culture studies, functional analysis; mollusk analysis Irini Sifogeorgakis MSc - Leiden University PhD candidate, geoarchaeologist, micromorphology Specialists Dr. Carr – University of Leicester, OSL dating, stable isotope analysis Dr. Irene Esteban-Alama – University of the Witwatersrand, phytolith analysis Prof. Huisman – Groningen University, State Service of Antiquities, Netherlands, micromorphologist Prof. Lombard – University of Johannesburg, Pleistocene archaeology, behavioural complexity Dr Murungi – University of the Witwatersrand, phytolith analysis Dr. Thorp – KwaZulu-Natal Museum, Holocene archaeology. Summary and outlook Continued geoarchaeological excavation of Umhlatuzana rockshelter will provide important new insights in the stratigraphy, chronology and environment of the site throughout the Middle and Later Stone Age. This will provide important context for new techno-typological analyses of the materials at the site. References Dusseldorp, G.L., Langejans, G.H.J. 2018: Report on 2018 fieldwork at Umhlatuzana rockshelter. Permit report prepared for Sahris. https://www.sahra.org.za/sahris/sites/default/files/heritagereports/report%20of%202018%20excavation.pdf Kaplan, J. (1990). The Umhlatuzana Rock Shelter sequence: 100 000 years of Stone Age history. Natal Mus J Human 2, 1-94. Lombard, M., Wadley, L., Jacobs, Z., Mohapi, M., and Roberts, R.G. (2010). Still Bay and serrated points from Umhlatuzana rock shelter, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. J Arch Sci 37, 1773-1784.