Foragers in the Middle Limpopo Valley

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910511640603321
• Autore: Forssman Tim
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Oxford : , : Archaeopress, , 2020; ©2020
• ISBN: 1-78969-686-0
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (140 pages)
• Collana: Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology Ser. ; ; v.100
• Disciplina: 306.364096825
• Soggetti: Electronic books.
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Nota di contenuto: Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Information -- Contents -- List of Figures -- Chapter 1: Interactions, frameworks and complexity -- Figure 1.1: The southern African region with key areas indicated as well as the middle Limpopo Valley. a, approximate area demarcating central southern Africa -- b, approximate area demarcating the Kalahari Desert -- 1, Dobe-Nyae Nyae area -- 2, Tsodilo Hills a -- Figure 1.2: Some examples of items possibly associated with trade and trade items themselves. From Dzombo Shelter: A, scrapers -- B, backed tools -- and E, worked bone tools -- from João Shelter: C, glass beads -- D, ostrich eggshell beads (complete) -- F, metal fr -- Chapter 2: Forager contexts in the middle Limpopo Valley -- Figure 2.1: The middle Limpopo Valley and the region's broader social landscape showing key sites and those mentioned in the text. -- Figure 2.2: The middle Limpopo Valley and sites mentioned in the text. The 600m contour and the approximate northern and southern edge of the sandstone belt is demarcated. B2, Balerno Shelter 2 -- B3, Balerno Shelter 3 -- BMS, Balerno Main Shelter -- DS, Dzombo -- Figure 2.3: A view of Balerno Main Shelter looking south (A -- ceiling is 6m high) and east across the inside of the shelter (B) (photographs courtesy of Iris Guillemard). -- Figure 2.4: Balerno Main Shelter's excavated trenches and site features (adapted from van Doornum 2005: 66). -- Figure 2.5: Southern wall profile of Squares O13 and P13 with chronology (adapted from van Doornum 2005: 67). -- Figure 2.6: Western wall profile of Squares P13 to P15 (adapted from van Doornum 2005: 68). -- Figure 2.7: Tshisiku ; Shelter's excavated trench and site features (adapted from van Doornum 2005: 53). -- Figure 2.8: South-east wall profile of Squares D2 and D3 with chronology (adapted from van Doornum 2005: 54).; Figure 2.9: Balerno Shelter 2's excavated trench and site features (adapted from van Doornum 2005: 79). -- Figure 2.10: Balerno Shelter 3's excavated trenches and site features (adapted from van Doornum 2000: 16). -- Figure 2.11: North wall profile of the Squares H7 and G7 with chronology (adapted from van Doornum 2000: 19). -- Figure 2.12: Little Muck Shelter's excavated trenches and site features (adapted from Hall &amp -- Smith 2000: 24). -- Figure 2.13: South wall of Square L42 (adapted from Hall &amp -- Smith 2000: 35). -- Figure 2.14: A photograph (A) and redrawing (B) of the finger-painted artwork behind Dzombo Shelter. -- Figure 2.15: Dzombo Shelter's excavated trenches and site features. -- Figure 2.16: South wall profile of Squares D and E in Trench 1 (shelter trench). -- Figure 2.17: Mafunyane Shelter's excavated portion and site features. -- Figure 2.18: North wall profile of Square C with chronology. -- Figure 2.19: João Shelter's excavated trenches and site features (Trench 1, inside the shelter -- Trench 2, north-east grain bin foundation -- Trench 3, projecting from the shelter -- and Trench 4, south-east grain bin foundation and midden). -- Figure 2.20: West wall profile of Square B2 and the excavated portion of B1 in Trench 1 inside the shelter. -- Figure 2.21: Euphorbia Kop's excavated trenches and site features (adapted from Seiler 2016: 112). -- Figure 2.22: North wall profile of Square C (adapted from Seiler 2016: 115). -- Chapter 3: Continuities and discontinuities across the contact divide -- Figure 3.1: Hunting tool (backed tool and worked bone) and ostrich eggshell bead (complete and incomplete) densities at Balerno Main (data from van Doornum 2008). -- Figure 3.2: Artefact distribution at Tshisiku Shelter from its initial occupation, c. 5500 BC, until AD 1300 (phases indicated in the inset squares).; Figure 3.3: Numeric data of Little Muck Shelter's scrapers per stratum (phases indicated in the inset squares). -- Figure 3.4: Scrapers with polish from Little Muck Shelter used possibly in wood-working or hide preparation activities (insert scale=1 mm). Polish types: greasy (A, G, I, K, N &amp -- O), dull (B, D, E, I, L, M, N &amp -- P), pitted (G, H, J, M &amp -- P), bright pitted (C -- Figure 3.5: Scrapers with edge damage from Little Muck Shelter (insert scale=1 mm). Damage types: edge damage (A-C &amp -- F-M), stepped flaking (E, G, J &amp -- K), post-depositional damage (D &amp -- I) and stress fractures (L) (from Forssman et al. 2018: 298). -- Figure 3.6: Rounding on scraper edges from Little Muck Shelter (insert scale=1 mm) (from Forssman et al. 2018: 295). -- Figure 3.7: The numeric and volumetric distribution of stone tools at Dzombo Shelter, with a trend line for artefact density. -- Figure 3.8: Alternating scraper and backed tool dominance at Dzombo Shelter. Numbers refer to numeric data for each tool type (+ denotes additional chronological phases: Phase 4 includes post-AD 1300 levels and Phase 1 includes lower undated levels). -- Figure 3.9: The proximity of Balerno Shelters 2 and 3. -- Figure 3.10: Mafunyane Shelter offers very little protection (A) and yet it has a considerable assemblage, rock art (B &amp -- C) and other rock markings (D). -- Chapter 4: Early socio-political change -- Figure 4.1: Examples of Zhizo ceramics from Schroda (from Forssman &amp -- Antonites in press). -- Figure 4.2: The distribution of the Zhizo facies, which includes Taukome, and some sites mentioned in the text: B, Bosutswe -- K, Kaitshàa -- MH, Mapela Hill -- PD, Pont Drift -- SC, Schroda -- TA, Taukome -- and TO, Toutswe (adapted from Huffman 2007: 143).; Figure 4.3: Waterways in the Limpopo River basin connecting regions of ; Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Various prominent sites are also marked (note the location of Chibuene). The dark grey zone indicates the middle Limpopo Valley. -- Figure 4.4: The numeric (within the bars) and volumetric (y-axis) distribution of stone tools at Balerno Main Shelter. To the left of the bar is the stratigraphic data and the phases to the right. -- Figure 4.5: The vertical distribution density of finds from Mafunyane Shelter. -- Figure 4.6: Three metal samples were examined using XRF (A - C). In each image, the right photograph is a magnified portion of the sample. Note the cuprous green and red patination on each specimen (scale=1mm) (from Forssman 2016b: 15). -- Figure 4.7: Cupules (A) and grooves (B &amp -- C) found inside Mafunyane Shelter in proximity to the metal-working activities. Other grooves were found outside the shelter (see Figure 2.17) (from Forssman 2014a: 332). -- Figure 4.8: Formal tools from Dzombo Shelter: A, D, M &amp -- N, small end scraper -- B, incomplete segment -- C &amp -- L, small side scraper -- E, miscellaneous backed piece (MBP) -- F, medium end scraper -- G, broken small end scraper -- H, adze -- I, broken small side scrapers -- Chapter 5: Foragers during and after state formation -- Figure 5.1: The ceramic relationships in the middle Limpopo Valley. Also note ceramic facies discussed in previous chapters (adapted from Huffman 2015b: 72). -- Figure 5.2: Leokwe Hill and its broader context. Zones marked A to D are those excavated by Calabrese (2007). M3H and JC Hill are rain-control sites excavated by Schoeman (2009) (adapted from Calabrese 2007: 119). -- Figure 5.3: Huffman's (2001: 15-16) diagram demonstrating the Central Cattle Pattern (above) and the Zimbabwe culture (below) residential structures.; Figure 5.4: A map of Mapungubwe showing the hilltop occupation and court location. Surrounding the site were various high-ranking members of the Mapungubwe state, possibly royalty (adapted from Eloff 1978: Figure 3 and Huffman 2000: 21). -- Figure 5.5: The spatial relationship between Dzombo and João Shelters and Mmamagwa. -- Figure 5.6: Re-drawings of two giraffe in Little Muck Shelter. -- Figure 5.7: Formal tools and a core from João Shelter: A, single platform core -- B, segmented backed bladelet -- C &amp -- D, broken segment -- E, broken backed bladelet -- F, small side scraper -- and G &amp -- H, segment (from Forssman 2016a: 151). -- Figure 5.8: Decorated and rimmed sherds from João Shelter. From the shelter: A &amp -- F, unknown -- and H, TK2 -- and from the homestead: B &amp -- E, unknown -- C-E, I, J, M &amp -- N, TK2 -- K &amp -- O, K2 or TK2 -- L &amp -- P, K2 -- and Q, Toutswe (from Forssman 2016a: 151). -- Figure 5.9: Formal tools from Euphorbia Kop from Trenches A (B-D) and C (A): A &amp -- D, end scraper -- and B &amp -- C, side scrapers. -- Figure 5.10: A selection of ceramics from Euphorbia Kop that are consistent with K2 and TK2 wares. -- Figure 5.11: Kambaku Camp's formal tools and cores: A, preliminary flaked core -- B, broken backed bladelet -- C, bladelet core and small end scraper -- D, segment -- and E, broken bladelet (from Forssman 2016a: 155). -- Chapter 6: Networks of Change in the valley and beyond -- Figure 6.1: Mankala gaming boards and grooves in front of Little Muck Shelter. -- List of Tables -- Chapter 2: Forager contexts in the middle Limpopo Valley -- Table 2.1: A comparison of the two primary climatic sources used in the valley, Tyson and Lindesay (1992) and J. Smith (2005) (from Forssman 2014: 36).; Table 2.2: Site chronologies and stratigraphic units of the sites discussed in the text (light grey text indicates relative chronology).
• Sommario/riassunto: Foragers were present in the Limpopo Valley (South Africa) before the arrival of farmers and not only witnessed but also participated in local systems leading to the appearance of a complex society. Despite ; numerous studies in the valley, forager involvement in socio-political developments has been, until now, largely ignored.