Thesis (MA) --Stellenbosch University, 1998. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The rehabilitation of the Matjes River rock shelter on the eastern side of
Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, provided an opportunity to obtain new
information on the deposits. A metre wide column was excavated through six
metres of shell-rich deposits at the junction of two cuttings made in the 1920s
and 1950s and known as the "Apex". A small section was cut into the upper
layers in the entrance area. A suite of radiocarbon dates shows the deposits
to be between 6300 and 10 600 years old with a possible hiatus in deposition
between 9000 and 8000 years ago. The hiatus is marked by a disconformity
that separates an upper loose shelly deposit from a series of finely bedded
loams. The sequence includes artefacts of the Wilton and Albany industries
and the transition between these industries is dated to 7400 BP. In the
relative frequencies of Donax serra and Pema pema, the shellfish remains
show there was a change from a sandy to a rocky shore environment that
can be accounted for by the rise of sea level in the Holocene. There is no
evidence that shellfish were intensely exploited and farmed down. As
observed at Nelson Bay Cave, Choromytilus meridionalis is more common in
deposits 9000 years and older. This suggests that the low sea surface
temperatures of the Late Pleistocene persisted in the beginning of the
Holocene. Information obtained on the deposits is being presented in
educational displays for visitors to the site. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die rehabilitasie van die Matjesrivier rotsskuiling, gelee aan die oostelike
kant van Plettenbergbaai, Suid-Afrika, het 'n goeie geleentheid verskaf am
nuwe informasie te bekom oar die opeenvolging. 'n Meter wye kolom is
uitgegrawe deur 6 meter van skulpryke depositos by die kruispunt van die
twee uitgrawings wat gedoen is gedurende die 1920s en 1950s en wat
bekendstaan as die "Apex". 'n Klein seksie is uitgegrawe in die boonste lae
van die ingangsarea. 'n Reeks van radiokoolstofdaterings toon aan dat die
afsetting dateer tussen 6300 en 10 600 jaar gelede met 'n moontlike breek in
deposisie tussen 9000 en 8000 jaar. Hierdie breek word gemerk deur 'n
onreelmatigheid wat die boonste Ios skulp afsettings van 'n reeks leeme skei.
Die opeenvolging sluit artefakte van die Wilton en Albany industriee in en die
oorgang tussen hiedie industriee is gedateer tot 7400 BP. In die relatiewe
frekwensies van D. serra en P. pema toon die skulpvis oorblyfsels aan dat
daar 'n oorgang vanaf 'n sanderige tot rotsagtige omgewing plaasgevind het
wat deur die styging van die seevlakke in die Holoseen verklaar word. Daar
is geen bewyse dat skulpvis intensief geeksplioteer was nie. Soos by
Nelsonbaai grot is C. meriidionalis meer algemeen in die depositos wat 9000
j;;:tar en ouer is. Dit suggereer dat die laer see temperature van die Laat
Pleistoseen tot aan die begin van die Holoseen geduur het. lnformasie wat
deur die uitgrawing bekom is word gebruik vir opvoedkundige uitstallings vir
besoekers aan die vindplaas.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/55964 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Döckel, Willemien |
| Contributors | Deacon, H. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 146 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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