A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, in
partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2016. / The economy of Bokoni was centred on farming, with terrace agriculture playing
a fundamental role in the construction and location of village sites. This
dissertation examined the recursive relationship between soil chemistry and site
location at three Bokoni sites: Doornkop, Khutwaneng and Kranskloof. These
sites represent the three different phases of occupation in Bokoni. Analysis
focused on the correlation of Ca, Mg, K, P, NH4, NO3, CEC and %C to the site
contexts. At a macro scale there are substantial similarities with regards to the
geology and the soil chemistry; suggesting a strong preference for locating village
sites on relatively nutrient rich clay soils. On a more localised scale chemical
analysis of the different contexts of these sites (i.e. domestic areas, central
enclosures, terraces and non-archaeological areas) explored the agricultural
potential of the soil in the various areas. These analyses showed a distinct
difference in agricultural potential of soils in stone walled areas. This profile was
the result of the nutrient contribution from the underlying soils in combination
with either enrichment at the time of occupation, or the ongoing influence of the
stone walled structures on the soils. The enrichment of soil in residential sites,
whether intentional or accidental, could explain why Bokoni villagers continually
reused sites during the earlier part of the sequence, before violence repeatedly
disrupted settlement, and thus choice of settlement location, in the area. / LG2017
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/21668 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Solomon, Lauren Leontine |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | Online resource (xii, 320 leaves), application/pdf |
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