H. J. Deacon

Ages for the Middle Stone Age of southern Africa: implications for human behavior and dispersal.

The expansion of modern human populations in Africa 80,000 to 60,000 years ago and their initial exodus out of Africa have been tentatively linked to two phases of technological and behavioral innovation within the Middle Stone Age of southern Africa—the Still Bay and Howiesons Poort industries—that are associated with early evidence for symbols and personal ornaments. Establishing the correct sequence of events, however, has been hampered by inadequate chronologies. We report ages for nine sites from varied climatic and ecological zones across southern Africa that show that both industries were short-lived (5000 years or less), separated by about 7000 years, and coeval with genetic estimates of population expansion and exit times. Comparison with climatic records shows that these bursts of innovative behavior cannot be explained by environmental factors alone.

Two Late Pleistocene-Holocene Archaeological Depositories from the Southern Cape, South Africa

This paper reviews research at two sites in the southern Cape, South Afnca that together span the last 125 ka: Boomplaas and Klasies River main site. Environmental and cultural changes are discussed. The contrasts between the Late Pleistocene and Holocene and between the earlier and later Holocene environments are detailed. Climates have been similar to the present and more favourable for human settlement in the last 5 ka than at any time since the Lasl Interglacial. The Middle-Later Stone Age inteqace predates 21 ka in the Boomplaas sequence. The Howiesons Poort at the base of the Boomplaas sequence is a horizon marker that is also found in the top of the Klasies River main site. Human remains from Klasies River are dated to 90 ka and 120 ka. It is argued that these sites were occupied by morphologically and cognitively modem humans. *Received September 1995

Comparative studies of Late Pleistocene human remains from Klasies River Mouth, South Africa

Abstract The main site at Klasies River Mouth was excavated in 1967–1968, and quantities of shell, animal bones and some human remains were recovered in association with a Middle Stone Age industry. More recent investigation of the caves has clarified aspects of stratigraphy and dating. It is well established that the site was first inhabited during the Last Interglaciation. Two main stages of deposition leading to formation of the (older) LBS and (younger) SAS members can be recognized, and the site was abandoned about 60,000 years ago, perhaps as a consequence of changes in habitat conditions due to climatic forcing. Most of the human bones collected in 1967–1968, and several additional specimens found since 1984, come from the SAS deposits. Two recently excavated fragments of maxillae are from the LBS member. We report results of comprehensive studies of the Klasies River Mouth teeth, mandibles, upper jaws and other facial pieces, and postcranial material. Measurements and anatomical comparisons confirm that the Klasies Middle Stone Age people differ from Neanderthals and other archaic humans. Mandibles tend to be deeper at the front than posteriorly, and a chin is relatively prominent. Internal symphyseal buttresses are not expressed, and there is no retromolar space. An impression that the morphology is modern extends also to the face and to the parts of the post-cranial skeleton that are preserved. This robust but essentially modern anatomy is coupled with strong sexual dimorphism. A question that remains to be explored is how the Klasies folk compare to contemporary populations present at Qafzeh Cave and Es Skhul. It is apparent that there are some differences between the South African assemblage and those from western Asia. These differences must be checked further, but all three sites may document an early dispersal of modern humanity, perhaps from an African source.