Iron Age fauna from Sibudu Cave in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

ABSTRACT

This paper provides the results of a recent analysis of fauna from the Iron Age layers from Sibudu Cave in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Over 47,000 identified and unidentified specimens are present in the sample. Faunal material was accumulated naturally, through non-human predators and human occupants visiting the site. The fauna indicates that domestic animals as well as hunted game were consumed. There is also some indication that the cave was utilised for religious purposes.

ABSTRAIT

Cet article fournit les résultats d'une analyse récente de la faune des couches de l'âge du fer à Sibudu Cave au KwaZulu-Natal, Afrique du Sud. Plus de 47,000 éléments identifiés et non identifiés sont présents dans l'échantillon. Cette faune s’est accumulée naturellement, à travers les visites des prédateurs non humains et des occupants humains. La faune indique que les animaux domestiques, ainsi que le gibier, furent consommés. Il y a des indications que la grotte fut utilisée à des fins religieuses.

KEYWORDS:

• Sibudu Cave
• Iron Age
• fauna
• temporary shelter
• coastal exploitation

Acknowledgements

We should like to thank the following people: Prof. Karim Sadr, Dr Janette Smith, Dr Manyanga Munyaradzi, Dr Christine Sievers, Dr Gavin Whitelaw, Dr Jamie Clark and Prof. Ina Plug for their useful comments on earlier drafts. We should also like to thank the Department of Arts and Culture for financial assistance.

Notes on contributors

Andreas le Roux is currently a Sub-Consultant for G & A Heritage, where he consults on grave relocations and Heritage Impact Assessments. This paper summarises research undertaken for his MSc at the University of the Witwatersrand. He has previously worked on Iron Age fauna from Makapans Valley, South Africa, focusing on the siege event of 1854 found in Historic Cave.

Shaw Badenhorst is Curator of the Archaeozoology and Large Mammal Section at the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (former Transvaal Museum) in Pretoria, South Africa. He obtained his PhD from Simon Fraser University in Canada and has analysed archaeological bones from southern Africa, the American Southwest and Canada. His research focuses on animal remains from sites in southern Africa dating from the Plio-Pleistocene and the Middle and Later Stone and Iron Ages, as well as historical times.