Shell Beads

Blombos cave is a cave in a limestone cliff on the Southern Cape coast in South Africa. It is an archaeological site made famous as the location of 75,000 year old beads made from Nassarius shells, which briefly held the record for oldest known jewelry. more...

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Introduction

Excavations carried out since 1991 at Blombos Cave provide snapshots of life in the Middle Stone Age (MSA) in the southern Cape, South Africa. Three phases of MSA occupation have been identified named M1, M2 and M3. Dating by the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) methods have provided occupation dates for each phase: these are c. 73 ka for the M1 phase (OIS 5a/4), c. 80 ka for the M2 phase (OIS 5a) and c. 100 - 140 ka for the M3 phase (OIS 5d - 5e/6).

Occupations in each phase are relatively brief and the depth of deposit per layer is mostly less than 10 cm. Hiatus periods separate the Later Stone Age (LSA) deposits from those of the MSA, and almost sterile deposits between the M2 and M3 phases indicate a long period of non-occupation. This depositional history suggests that Blombos Cave was occupied sporadically and for relatively short periods of time. Artefacts considered unusual for the MSA were recovered from the M1 phase including bone tools, marine shell beads, engraved ochre, and bone tools from the M2 phase. In the M3 phase ochre is a dominant raw material and ochre processing tools were recovered.

Excavation history and stratigraphy

Blombos Cave is some 100 m from the coast and 35 m above sea level. The cave is a wave-cut bench in Mio/Pliocene Wankoe Formation aeolian deposits. Interior cave deposits, including those in recesses, cover more than 80 sq. m. About 20 sq. m of the MSA has been excavated to a depth of c. 2 m below the original surface. The depositional history of the MSA levels is complex. Probably just prior to the accumulation of the M3 phase large calcrete roof blocks up to 3 m thick were dislodged creating a variable and uneven floor surface. Further rockfall onto the MSA deposits occurred after the M3 phase occupation at c. 130 -140 ka.

Subsequent human occupation left debris scattered over and around these blocks up to a height of more than 2 m. Compaction has caused deposits to drape over and around large spalls with some examples of near vertical layering. Near the rear and side cave wall MSA deposits have in some instances shrunk leaving a gap that later filled with LSA deposits. In places large rocks have shifted or broken causing shearing of deposits and infills. Despite these anomalies most MSA deposits are in situ and undisturbed. By identifying and excluding material from contaminated areas archaeologists are confident of the integrity of more than 95% of recovered MSA material.

Artefacts & Fauna

Principal markers of the M1 phase are bifacial foliate points, typical of the Still Bay, both complete and in various stages of manufacture. More than 400 have been recovered. Silcrete is the dominant raw material and the nearest source is c. 30 km. Large numbers of small flakes occur indicating on-site production of these artefacts. The site may even have served as a lithic workshop. More than sixty beads manufactured from Nassarius kraussianus gastropod shells have been recovered. Twenty seven of these beads may derive from a single personal ornament. Two chunks of ochre engraved with geometric patterns and more than fifteen bone tools come from the M1 phase. M2 phase markers are the more than twenty bone tools and a marked reduction in bifacial technology. In the M3 phase bifacial flaking and bone tools disappear. Silcrete is still dominant but there are fewer retouched tools. Striated ochre, particularly in large chunk form, is common in these levels. Ochre processing tools include lower and upper grindstones and hammerstones. Dense shellfish middens characterise the lower layers with very large hearths.

Read more at Wikipedia.org