Klasies River Caves
Encyclopedia
The Klasies River Caves are a series of caves located to the east of the Klasies River mouth
on the Tsitsikamma coast in the Humansdorp
district of Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
. The three main caves and two shelters at the base of a high cliff have revealed evidence of middle stone age
-associated Humans habitation from approximately 125,000 years ago. The 20 m thick deposits were accumulated from 125,000 years ago. Around 75,000 years ago during cave remodeling the stratigraphic sediments were moved out into external middens. Other scenarios for the discontinuous stratigraphy suggest natural factors like megatsunami washout or inconsistent dating.
In 1998, the South African government submitted a proposal to add the caves to the list of World Heritage Site
s.
From 1960 Ronald Singer, Ray Inskeep, John Wymer
, Hilary Deacon
, Richard Klein and others suggested the excavation yielded the earliest known remains of anatomically modern humans
and behaviourally modern humans in the world. Further analysis suggested that those specimens fall "outside the range of modern variation".
stone artifact technology; gathering plants, roots and flowers for food; cooking plants, corms, seal, penguins, and antelope meat on hearths with fire; general organisation of the settlement; and land/veld management by fire. The evidence also appears to indicate that their presence was seasonal or migratory. There is also evidence of cannibalism
, charred and carved 'modern human' bones discarded with other food remnants.
While Middle Stone Age (MSA)
assemblage associated with those people are described as anatomically modern, there is ongoing debate about when they were also behaviourally modern. There is a marked difference between the Paleolithic
stone technology used in the earliest layers from 125,000 years ago, and the superior MST blades of the 70,000 year old Howiesons Poort
period that used raw material which had been 'mined' 20 kilometres inland. There is also a differentiation between the Paleolithic food detritus that accumulated underfoot inside the caves 125,000 years ago, but was ejected and accumulated into external middens by the MST occupants circa 75,000 years ago. This 'housekeeping' is an indicator that 'at least half of our species' had evolved 'modern behaviour' by the MSA
. Analysis 14 proximal ulna
r dimensions compared to morphological properties of African archaic humans, and Levantine Mousterian, archaic European humans, west Asian and, European Upper Paleolithic
, African Epipaleolithic
and recent modern human
also of recent African descent suggest an archaic total morphological pattern for the KRM specimens. "MSA-associated humans from KRM may not be as modern as has been claimed from the craniofacial material"
The hominin specimens include cranial fragments, mandibles with teeth, and a few postcranial remains: ulna
and five metatarsal bones.
. In 1967 and 1968 Ronald Singer and John Wymer started extensive excavations, with their initial findings published in 1972 by the University of Chicago Press
. Since 1984 research has been continued by Hilary Deacon
.
The site is now protected by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA)
, and the Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism
.
.
(Locations - best viewed in Google Earth)
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
on the Tsitsikamma coast in the Humansdorp
Humansdorp
Humansdorp is a small town and surrounding district in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, with a population of around 35,000 . It is part of the Kouga Local Municipality of the Cacadu District. The town is the centre of the district's light industry and farming...
district of Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The three main caves and two shelters at the base of a high cliff have revealed evidence of middle stone age
Middle Stone Age
The Middle Stone Age was a period of African Prehistory between Early Stone Age and Late Stone Age. It is generally considered to have begun around 280,000 years ago and ended around 50-25,000 years ago. The beginnings of particular MSA stone tools have their origins as far back as 550-500,000...
-associated Humans habitation from approximately 125,000 years ago. The 20 m thick deposits were accumulated from 125,000 years ago. Around 75,000 years ago during cave remodeling the stratigraphic sediments were moved out into external middens. Other scenarios for the discontinuous stratigraphy suggest natural factors like megatsunami washout or inconsistent dating.
In 1998, the South African government submitted a proposal to add the caves to the list of World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s.
From 1960 Ronald Singer, Ray Inskeep, John Wymer
John Wymer
Dr John James Wymer, was a British archaeologist and one of the leading experts on the Palaeolithic period.Born near Kew Gardens in Surrey, Wymer was introduced to archaeology by his parents who would take him to gravel pits to search for ancient sites...
, Hilary Deacon
Hilary Deacon
Hilary John Deacon was a South African archaeologist and academic. He was Professor of Archaeology at the University of Stellenbosch in Stellenbosch, South Africa. His research focused on the ‘emergence of modern humans’ and African archaeology...
, Richard Klein and others suggested the excavation yielded the earliest known remains of anatomically modern humans
Anatomically modern humans
The term anatomically modern humans in paleoanthropology refers to early individuals of Homo sapiens with an appearance consistent with the range of phenotypes in modern humans....
and behaviourally modern humans in the world. Further analysis suggested that those specimens fall "outside the range of modern variation".
Paleolithic and Mesolithic Behaviour
There is a 20 metre thick accumulation of deposits, both inside the caves and outside against the cliff face, proving that Klasies River Mouth people knew how to hunt small game, fish (later), gather plants and roots, cook by roasting on hearths, and manage their land (later). There is extensive evidence of shellfish collecting; MSAMiddle Stone Age
The Middle Stone Age was a period of African Prehistory between Early Stone Age and Late Stone Age. It is generally considered to have begun around 280,000 years ago and ended around 50-25,000 years ago. The beginnings of particular MSA stone tools have their origins as far back as 550-500,000...
stone artifact technology; gathering plants, roots and flowers for food; cooking plants, corms, seal, penguins, and antelope meat on hearths with fire; general organisation of the settlement; and land/veld management by fire. The evidence also appears to indicate that their presence was seasonal or migratory. There is also evidence of cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
, charred and carved 'modern human' bones discarded with other food remnants.
While Middle Stone Age (MSA)
Middle Stone Age
The Middle Stone Age was a period of African Prehistory between Early Stone Age and Late Stone Age. It is generally considered to have begun around 280,000 years ago and ended around 50-25,000 years ago. The beginnings of particular MSA stone tools have their origins as far back as 550-500,000...
assemblage associated with those people are described as anatomically modern, there is ongoing debate about when they were also behaviourally modern. There is a marked difference between the Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
stone technology used in the earliest layers from 125,000 years ago, and the superior MST blades of the 70,000 year old Howiesons Poort
Howiesons Poort
Howiesons Poort is a lithic technology cultural period in the Middle Stone Age in Africa named after the Howieson’s Poort Shelter archeological site near Grahamstown in South Africa...
period that used raw material which had been 'mined' 20 kilometres inland. There is also a differentiation between the Paleolithic food detritus that accumulated underfoot inside the caves 125,000 years ago, but was ejected and accumulated into external middens by the MST occupants circa 75,000 years ago. This 'housekeeping' is an indicator that 'at least half of our species' had evolved 'modern behaviour' by the MSA
Middle Stone Age
The Middle Stone Age was a period of African Prehistory between Early Stone Age and Late Stone Age. It is generally considered to have begun around 280,000 years ago and ended around 50-25,000 years ago. The beginnings of particular MSA stone tools have their origins as far back as 550-500,000...
. Analysis 14 proximal ulna
Ulna
The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form and runs parallel to the radius, which is shorter and smaller. In anatomical position The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form...
r dimensions compared to morphological properties of African archaic humans, and Levantine Mousterian, archaic European humans, west Asian and, European Upper Paleolithic
Upper Paleolithic
The Upper Paleolithic is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. Very broadly it dates to between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago, roughly coinciding with the appearance of behavioral modernity and before the advent of...
, African Epipaleolithic
Epipaleolithic
The Epipaleolithic Age was a period in the development of human technology marked by more advanced stone blades and other tools than the earlier Paleolithic age, although still before the development of agriculture in the Neolithic age...
and recent modern human
Homo
Homo may refer to:*the Greek prefix ὅμο-, meaning "the same"*the Latin for man, human being*Homo, the taxonomical genus including modern humans...
also of recent African descent suggest an archaic total morphological pattern for the KRM specimens. "MSA-associated humans from KRM may not be as modern as has been claimed from the craniofacial material"
The hominin specimens include cranial fragments, mandibles with teeth, and a few postcranial remains: ulna
Ulna
The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form and runs parallel to the radius, which is shorter and smaller. In anatomical position The ulna is one of the two long bones in the forearm, the other being the radius. It is prismatic in form...
and five metatarsal bones.
Discovery and Excavation
The artifacts and bones were originally reported by Paul Haslem and Ludwig Abel, then in 1960 Ray Inskeep and Ronald Singer identified the artifacts as Middle Stone AgeMiddle Stone Age
The Middle Stone Age was a period of African Prehistory between Early Stone Age and Late Stone Age. It is generally considered to have begun around 280,000 years ago and ended around 50-25,000 years ago. The beginnings of particular MSA stone tools have their origins as far back as 550-500,000...
. In 1967 and 1968 Ronald Singer and John Wymer started extensive excavations, with their initial findings published in 1972 by the University of Chicago Press
University of Chicago Press
The University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals, including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of...
. Since 1984 research has been continued by Hilary Deacon
Hilary Deacon
Hilary John Deacon was a South African archaeologist and academic. He was Professor of Archaeology at the University of Stellenbosch in Stellenbosch, South Africa. His research focused on the ‘emergence of modern humans’ and African archaeology...
.
The site is now protected by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA)
South African Heritage Resources Agency
The South African Heritage Resource Agency is the national administrative body responsible for the protection of South Africa's cultural heritage...
, and the Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (South Africa)
The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism was a department of the government of South Africa from 1994 to 2009. After the election of President Jacob Zuma it was divided into the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Tourism....
.
Locations
The five caves are dotted eastwards along the coast within 2 kilometers of Klasies River mouth, and the complete stretch to Druipkelder Point is designated as a National heritage siteNational heritage sites (South Africa)
National heritage sites in South Africa are structures or defined areas of land declared to be of historic or cultural importance and granted certain legal protections...
.
(Locations - best viewed in Google Earth)
- Klasies River Mouth at 34°6′22.32"S 24°23′13.42"E
- Klasies Main Site, Caves 1 & 2, at 34°6′29.17"S 24°23′24.50"E
- Klasies Caves 3 & 4 at 34°6′39.55"S 24°23′43.83"E
- Klasies Cave 5 at 34°6′52.63"S 24°24′3.31"E
See also
- List of fossil sites (with link directory)
- List of hominina (hominid) fossils (with images)
- Omo remainsOmo remainsThe Omo remains are a collection of hominid bones discovered between 1967 and 1974 at the Kibish sites near the Omo River, Omo National Park in south-western Ethiopia. The bones were recovered by a scientific team from the Kenya National Museums directed by Richard Leakey and others...
- possibly the earliest known fossils of Homo sapiens, dated to circa 190,000 years ago. - Herto remainsHomo sapiens idaltuHomo sapiens idaltu is an extinct subspecies of Homo sapiens that lived almost 160,000 years ago in Pleistocene Africa. is from the Saho-Afar word meaning "elder or first born"....
- an extinct subspecies of Homo sapiens, dated to circa 160,000 years ago. - List of archaeological periods
- List of caves in South Africa
- Keurboomstrand, Western CapeKeurboomstrand, Western CapeKeurboomstrand is a resort town near Plettenberg Bay on the Western Cape of South Africa. It takes its name from the indigenous keurboom tree which grows in the region. The Keurbooms River runs nearby.-History:...
External links
- Unesco World Heritage listing for Pleistocene occupation sites of Klasies River, Border Cave, Wonderwerk Cave and comparable sites relating to the emergence of modern humans
- Prehistory of South Africa
- Klasies River Caves by K. Kris Hirst at About Archaeology
- Images of Klasies material at the South Africa Museum