In 'n streekopname in 'n gebied rondom Loolekop wat die sentrale karbonatietpyp van die Palaborwa Stollingskompleks vorm, is sowat vyftig histories bekende terreine opgespoor wat in drie groepe verdeel is op grond van die metaalbewerkings- en woonterreinoorblyfsels van die terreine. Steekproefopgrawings is op elf terreine uitgevoer ten einde meer van die aard en omvang van metaalbewerking in die navorsingsgebied, nl. die Loole-terreinkompleks vas te stel, terwyl die argeologiese oorblyfsels ook met behulp van etnohistoriese inligting aangaande vroeë baPhalaborwa-gemeenskappe geskakel is. Opgrawings toon dat yster en koper in die navorsingsgebied bewerk is met behulp van verskillende prosesse en in verskillende tipes oonde. Die bewerking van die metale toon sekere voorkomsgebiede - hoewel dit beïnvloed kon word deur die vernietigingswerk van moderne mynbedrywighede. Mondelinge oorlewering verbind die metaalbewerkers met verskillende vroeë baPhalaborwa-gemeenskappe, terwyl die groepe terreine in 'n relatiewe chronologie georden word met behulp van radiokoolstofdaterings, historiese inligting en die kenmerke van terreine. ENGLISH : In a regional survey in an area around Loolekop which represents the central carbonatite pipe of the Palaborwa Igneous Complex, about fifty historical known sites were identified and divided into three groups according to the metalworking and occupational remains on these sites. Test excavations were conducted on eleven of the sites in order to gain information on the nature and extent of metalworking in the research area, viz. the Loole site complex, while the archaeological remains were also coupled with ethnohistorical evidence regarding early baPbalaborwa communities. The excavations indicated that iron and copper had been worked in different processes and with different furnaces. The working of the metals indicate certain areas of preference - although this may have been influenced by the destruction of archaeological sites due to modern mining activities. Oral tradition couples the metalworkers with different early baPhalaborwa communities, while the different groups of sites were arranged in a relative chronology aided by radiocarbon dating, historical information and the characteristics of sites. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Anthropology and Archaeology / unrestricted