The final MSA of eastern South Africa: a comparative study between Umbeli Belli and Sibhudu

ABSTRACT

The end of the Middle Stone Age in southern Africa, often called the final MSA (∼40–28 ka), represents one of the most understudied technocomplexes in this part of the world. Researchers have often focused on earlier time periods associated with Marine Isotope Stage 4 or have emphasised the transition between the Middle and the Later Stone Age. Thus, the final MSA has been poorly understood and, at least in KwaZulu-Natal, only a few chrono-cultural markers called hollow-based points are known for it. Since 2016, excavations at Umbeli Belli rock shelter have produced new insights into this period. The site provides one of the most accurately dated sequences for the final MSA, spanning four geological horizons, respectively GH7, GH8, GH9 and GH10, that date to between 29.9 ± 2.3 and 40.3 ± 3.5 ka. Significant technological and typological variations are evident between those horizons, raising questions about the mechanisms behind them. A direct comparative analysis with the final MSA layers Coffee – Espresso at Sibhudu, which date to ∼38 ka, places these results in the regional archaeological context. The analysis shows first that the final MSA encompasses diachronic variability within relatively short time frames at Umbeli Belli. Secondly, it reveals several distinct chronological discrepancies between Sibhudu and Umbeli Belli. A detailed review of the environmental setting of the research area helps to explain these changes.

RÉSUMÉ

La fin du Middle Stone Age (MSA) en Afrique australe, souvent appelée MSA final (∼40–28 ka), représente l'un des technocomplexes les moins étudiés de cette partie du monde. Les chercheurs se sont souvent concentrés sur les périodes antérieures associées au Stade 4 des stades isotopiques de l’oxygène (MIS 4) ou sur celles qui furent postérieures, englobant la transition entre l'âge de pierre moyen (‘Middle Stone Age’) et l’âge de pierre tardif (‘Later Stone Age’). Ainsi, le MSA final reste mal cerné et, en tout cas pour ce qui est du KwaZulu-Natal, seuls quelques marqueurs chrono-culturels, appelés pointes à base creuse, sont connus. Depuis 2016, des fouilles de l’abri sous roche d’Umbeli Belli ont révélé de nouvelles informations sur cette période. Le site fournit l'une des séquences les plus précisément datées pour le MSA final, couvrant quatre horizons géologiques, respectivement GH7, GH8, GH9 et GH10, datant d’entre 29.9 ± 2.3 et 40.3 ± 3.5 ka. On observe d'importantes variations technologiques et typologiques entre ces horizons, soulevant des questions sur les mécanismes sous-jacents. Une analyse comparative directe avec les couches Café – Espresso du MSA final à Sibhudu, datant de ∼38 ka, situe ces résultats dans un contexte archéologique régional. L’analyse montre en premier lieu que le MSA final englobe une variabilité diachronique sur une période relativement courte à Umbeli Belli. Deuxièmement, elle révèle plusieurs divergences chronologiques distinctes entre Sibhudu et Umbeli Belli. Un examen détaillé du cadre environnemental de la zone de recherche aide à expliquer ces changements.

KEYWORDS:

• Final MSA
• Southern Africa
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Lithic technology
• Cultural variability
• Environment

Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to Chief Cele and the members of the Cele tribal council for allowing our team to conduct research at Umbeli Belli, which belongs to their land. We also thank Miriam and John Dasa for taking care of Sibhudu over so many years now. Thanks are also due to all the members of the field and laboratory crews. We are grateful to Dr Gavin Whitelaw and the staff of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum and to the Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, for generously providing storage and laboratory space and logistical support. Thanks are due to Amafa for providing the research permits for Umbeli Belli and Sibhudu.

This research was funded by the project CO226-24-01 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the ROCEEH project [The Role of Culture in Early Expansions of Humans] of the Heidelberg Academy of Science.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gregor D. Bader

Gregor Bader is a researcher and collections curator at the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (SHEP) in Tübingen, Germany. He is a specialist in lithic technology and runs several research projects on Middle and Later Stone Age sites in Africa. He excavated Umbeli Belli from 2016 until 2020 and evidence relating to its final MSA occupation formed part of his doctoral dissertation.

Christian Sommer

Christian Sommer is a geographer at the research project “The Role of Culture in Early Expansions of Humans” (ROCEEH) of the Heidelberger Academy of Sciences and Humanities. He is interested in the evolution of landscapes and their impact on early humans. The reconstruction of the physical geography of Sibhudu’s surroundings formed part of his doctoral dissertation.

Nicholas J. Conard

Nicholas Conard is head of the department for Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology at the University of Tübingen, Germany. He is interested in human cultural and biological evolution and the early development of art and music. He runs several research projects in Africa and Europe. Since 2012 he is directing the excavations at Sibhudu, following the work of Lyn Wadley.

Lyn Wadley

Lyn Wadley is an honorary professor of archaeology in the Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Her interests lie in cognitive archaeology, experimental archaeology and the African Stone Age. She excavated at Sibhudu from 1998 until 2011.