Sites

A low density Middle Stone Age (MSA) scatter was observed along the clean water berm route towards the east
on the farm Sekgame. The artefact scatter is mostly constituted out of debris flakes but single formals stone tools such as side scrapers and points, produced on fine grained specularite, jaspilite and banded iron stone, were recorded. Some of the tools display secondary retouch. Similar Stone Age scatters occur frequently in this area along the banks of the Gamagara River and around water pans and these sites has been the subject of detailed archaeological research studies2. The location of Stone Age scatters in the Sishen area corresponds with a general regional Stone Age site distribution pattern where archaeological sites in the landscape occur near water sources close to local sources of rare raw materials in lithic manufacture. As noted previously, the artefacts can typologically be attributed to the Middle Stone Ages when compared to similar recorded assemblages in the area (e.g. Beaumont & Morris 1990). The site is of limited significance due to low concentration of formal and diagnostic lithics as well as the fact that the context of artefacts has been compromised by natural agents such as erosion.