Sample name: Blombos Cave (Phase M3)

Reference: C. S. Henshilwood, J. C. Sealy, R. Yates, K. Cruz-Uribe, P. Goldberg, F. E. Grine, R. G. Klein, C. Poggenpoel, K. van Niekerk, and I. Watts. 2001. Blombos Cave, Southern Cape, South Africa: Preliminary report on the 1992-1999 excavations of the Middle Stone Age levels. Journal of Archaeological Science 28(4):421-448 [ER 3719]

Lithology: sandstone

Taphonomic context: cave, human accumulation

Archaeology: hearths, stone tools

Habitat comments: "The cave was formed as a result of solution action and wave cutting of a cliff formed of calcified sediments that lies above a basal layer of Table Mountain Sandstone".
The site consists of three major Middle Stone Age layers (Phases M1-M3) beneath a thick, sterile aeolian sand dune layer that separates the Middle Stone Age (MSA) sequence from the recent Late Stone Age (LSA) layers.
"Most of the MSA deposits are finely bedded to laminated, with cm thick bedding. Phase M3 consists of light to medium brown sandy layers, with relatively fewer artefacts. There are extensive compact in situ hearths and ash deposits. The M3 layers are dominated by shellfish remains and contain high densities of ochre".
Various stone stools are present including flakes, cores, scrapers, and other retouched pieces. "The abundance of artefacts strongly implicates humans as the principle bone accumulators".

Life forms: carnivores, primates, rodents, ungulates, marine mammals, other large mammals, other small mammals, fishes

Excluded forms: bats, rodents, other small mammals, birds, other reptiles, clams

Sampling methods: quarry, screenwash

Sample size: 2340 specimens

Years: 1992 -

Net or trap nights: 0

Basal area status: not applicable

Sampling comments: "The first excavation at Blombos Cave was initiated in 1991 and led to the recovery of only the LSA deposits dated at less than 2 ka old. A second excavation was begun in 1992, with excavations of both the LSA and MSA levels continuing in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000" and beyond...
"Within the cave interior, behind the drip line, a surface area of 12·5 m2 of MSA deposits has been excavated (as of 2000); forward of the drip line a test trench of 3 m2 was excavated in 1999. Excavation by brush or trowel followed individual strata or layers".
"Recovered deposits were wet sieved through both 1·5 and 3·0 mm meshes using seawater. Recovered material was later re-washed in freshwater and shade dried".
The register below consists of the identified macromammal remains only (those with a mean adult body weight of at least 0.75 kg), including additional remains identified from this phase excavated from 2001 to 2010 (presented in Badenhorst et al. 2016). Smaller micromammals are also present (along with several other groups), although raw NISP counts are not provided, not even in the follow-up small mammal dedicated publications.

Sample no: 3945

Contributor no: Benjamin Carter

Enterer: Benjamin Carter

Created: 2022-04-02 15:05:33

Modified: 2023-05-30 00:53:24