Sites

Two extensive Stone Age quarry and occupation sites are associated with low ridges of rocky outcrops, including basalt, immediately west and NW of the Mookodi MTS substation. The ridges provide a good vantage point that looks down over the surrounding landscape. The ground surface consists of in situ rocky outcrops and dense gravels that are sub-angular to rounded. The Leeuspruit River is situated about 2 km to the east and a large pan is situated immediately west of the low ridges, meaning that water was available in this area at least intermittently. The two sites are near continuous and include waypoints 94 & 95 with an extent of some 7.3 ha, and waypoints 96, 98 & 99 with an extent of about 10 ha. Stone artefact densities are low on the surrounding less rocky low lying areas including the pan to the west, and increase as one walks up the ridge slopes where artefact densities are highest atop the ridges. At its highest, densities of stone artefacts are estimated at 30 to 50 pieces per square meter. The presence of sub-surface archaeological material is evident from stone artefacts associated with sediments unearthed by large mammal burrowing in soft sediments immediately west of the rocky outcrops. While stone artefacts are dominated by those of LSA origin, MSA material is common, but no pieces of definitive ESA were identified. Although ESA pieces occur in the surroundings of the Mookodi MTS sub-station, they are found on the lower ground rather than on the rocky ridges. LSA and MSA pieces represent the full core reduction sequence and include hammer stones, flaked / quarried in situ outcrops of basalt (Maarten De Wit pers. comm.), cores, flaked pieces, flakes, convergent flakes, blades (some with prepared striking platforms), chunks and chips. Although formal tools are rare, they are dominated by a variety of scrapers with notably fewer adzes or notched pieces. Most artefacts are in basalt, but quartzite is also common with fewer pieces in quartz. Only a few artefacts in other fine grained raw material such as chert were identified. No faunal, organic or other cultural remains are associated with the stone artefacts. Rocky outcrops and water sources are commonly archaeologically sensitive, and in the case of the above sites we have both elements. The availability of raw materials for the production of stone tools and the presence of water was clearly attractive to people from as early as the MSA through to LSA times as reflected by the presence of their tools. Apart from the obvious quarrying of raw material for the production of stone tools, the presence of some formal tools suggests that people occupied this locality due to the minimally intermittent presence of water. Water sources are also attractive to other animals and may have offered an opportunity to gain access to animal products. The presence of scrapers and adzes suggest that people were processing hides and working with wood for the production of tools or hunting equipment respectively.