Please read the abstract (Synopsis) in the section, 00front of this document Copyright 1998, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Boeyens, JCA 1998, Die latere Ystertydperk in Suidoos- en Sentraal-Marico (Afrikaans), DPhil thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-04032008-151827 / > / Thesis (D Phil (Anthropology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Anthropology and Archaeology / unrestricted

Bibliography: pages 322-353. / The primary aim of this thesis is to document and explain the 10 000 BP AD 1800 history of the Thukela Basin hunter-gatherers. The primary information for this study comes from my excavation, between 1981 and 1984, of eight rock shelters in the upper Thukela catchment. My aims and theoretical orientation have altered substantially since the project's ,inception. They have changed from being concerned primarily with ecological phenomena to the reconstruction of a regional social history. As part of this redefinition I have developed a critique of South African Later Stone Age (LSA) studies from the early 1960s, arguing that the predominant, ecological, approaches of this period are inadequate in dealing with past human societies. My reasons for adopting a socially orientated historical approach concern the social relevance of archaeology, and the need to generate the best possible insights into past societies. I submit that historical materialism offers a very valuable framework for social historical analysis. The theoretical propositions germane to this study are presented. I then concentrate specifically on Thukela Basirr hunter-gatherer history. The periods dating to before and after 2000 BP are dealt with separately because of the arrival of farmers in the Thukela Basin around AD 500.

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A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, 2014. / Early contact between Later Stone Age hunter-gatherers at Holkrans rock shelter (BFK 1), in the Vredefort Dome, North West Province, South Africa, and food producers occurred within the last 500 years. Evidence presented in this study suggests that a more probable time frame was sometime between the early 16th and 17th centuries AD. Holkrans chronology comprises two phases, pre-ceramic and ceramic, with three superimposed components: a lower, pre-contact/ pre-ceramic period; a middle, early contact/ ceramic period; and a terminal period. Use-wear analysis of lithics from the lower and middle components provided the medium through which changes or continuity in cultural and behavioural practices between the pre-contact/ pre-ceramic and early-contact/ ceramic periods were interpreted, with a view to shedding light on the nature and impact of contact on the shelter’s hunter-gatherers with food producers. The results of analysis, supported by additional archaeological evidence, suggest that the Holkrans hunter-gatherers experienced early contact and subsequent interaction with food producers as an ‘extended pioneer phase’. Over time, as food producers subdued land and began to permanently settle in the area, the Holkrans hunter-gatherers appear to have maintained this extended pioneer phase; that is, a primarily hunter-gatherer way of life up to the terminal occupation of the shelter, probably in the early 19th century. iii

Bibliography: pages 167-177. / Accompanied by: Faizal's journey : discovering the past through objects. / The topic of this dissertation developed out of the 1980s era of resistance to Apartheid. At that time, mass-campaigns produced the concept of People's Education, which challenged established State-structures. People's Education was based on participatory democracy and drew on communities' knowledge rather than state-sanctioned knowledge. The concept of People's Archaeology is a product of that time-period. It focuses on involving communities in the practice of archaeology, beyond the stage of consultation. Within the forthcoming election process, Black communities are to be empowered politically and this empowerment has, in other countries seen an accompanying growth in concerns about identity, cultural property and ownership. I argue that identity politics will be crucial in the future South African society and that archaeology will play an important role in this debate. The discipline faces transformation in the coming decade and education will be critical in this change. In this dissertation I contend that past attempts at popular education in archaeology have had very limited success. Archaeology still remains a discipline unknown to the majority of South Africans. This dissertation explores the reasons for the limited success of these attempts by critically examining the structure of the discipline in South Africa, and the perception that it creates to the public. It also goes further by exploring an alternative to these efforts at popular education through the use of principles and methods developed in People's Education. This project takes the debate about People's Archaeology beyond theory and attempts to implement some of the ideas through two projects, one dealing with an excavation, the other focusing on the production of a popular resource. I explore the pitfalls and benefits of these projects and make recommendations concerning the future of the discipline.

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A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2015. / Excavations conducted at Thaba Nkulu, an Early Farming Community homestead with associated metal working debris, led to the recovery of iron slag, tuyères, furnace lining, iron ore, copper artefacts and iron artefacts. Using the material recovered, this dissertation identified chemical signatures for metal artefacts and metal smelting and smithing associated material. This was achieved through the use of a combination of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The artefacts recovered were analysed, and 3 sets of possible chemical signatures were recorded.

Archaeology MSc Dissertation School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies Faculty of Science University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg 2013 / Agropastoralists during the Iron Age established their settlements in the Limpopo Valley to take advantage of the rich floodplains of the Shashe-Limpopo confluence. Trade in ivory may have been a draw card in the earlier Zhizo period (AD 900), but good climate and increased rainfall helped to maintain a growing population which in turn contributed to the rise of complex society and the first state in southern Africa, i.e. Mapungubwe (AD 1250-1300). The population increase and the concomitant agricultural land use, together with several droughts, would have challenged livestock management. Using carbon signatures, J. Smith (2005) discovered that cattle were sustained on graze alone, indicating sufficient grass in the valley for pasture during the Iron Age. I have used spherulites found in cattle dung to investigate the use of the confluence vlei area. Vlei grass would have provided extra pasturage. I considered time and space to interpret samples. For the Zhizo and Leokwe periods, I examined 13 samples, including Castle Rock, of which six were positive. K2 had nine positive samples out of 17 while Transitional K2 had 20 positives samples. The TK2 results suggest there was a greater need for extra pasturage associated with drought from AD 1220 to 1250. The Mapungubwe period is represented by 11 samples and five yielded positive results while the Khami period yielded 12 positive results out of 26 samples. These results show a regular use of the confluence vlei during the Iron Age associated with dry conditions.

The recently discovered site of Rising Star in the Craddle of Humankind, Johannesburg, South Africa, has yielded the single largest fossil hominin assemblage on the African continent to have been uncovered to date. Much of the anatomy of the new species, Homo naledi, has been described. With relatively human-like lower limb and strangely primitive-likeupper body, Homo naledi displays a mosaic of traits in its morphology. A small cranium for a member of the genus Homo adds to this unexpected mix of characters. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / MT 2017

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