Boomplaas Cave (Member BLA)
Basic information
Sample name: Boomplaas Cave (Member BLA)
Reference: J. T. Faith. 2013. Taphonomic and paleoecological change in the large mammal sequence from Boomplaas Cave, western Cape, South Africa. Journal of Human Evolution 65(6):715-730 [ER 3779]
Geography
Country: South Africa
State: Western Cape
Coordinate: 33° 22' 14" S, 22° 10' 31" E
Latlng basis: stated in text
Time interval: Holocene
Section: 3779
Unit number: 2
Unit order: above to below
Ma: 0.0064
Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)
Geography comments: "Boomplaas Cave is located in the Cango Valley in the foothills of the Swartberg mountain range, north of Oudtshoorn, Eden District Municipality in the Western Cape Province, South Africa".
The BLA member of the deposit has been radiocarbon dated to 6400 ± 75 BP (7171–7433 cal. BP).
The BLA member of the deposit has been radiocarbon dated to 6400 ± 75 BP (7171–7433 cal. BP).
Environment
Lithology: not described
Taphonomic context: cave, human accumulation
Archaeology: stone tools
Habitat comments: "Boomplaas Cave contains a stratified sequence of Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Late Stone Age (LSA) deposits spanning the last 65, 000 years. People were the primary accumulators of the faunal remains in the LSA assemblages younger than ∼18, 000 years ago (CL to BLD). In the LSA and MSA deposits dating from 18, 000 to 50, 000 years ago (BOL to GWA), a combination of humans, carnivores, and raptors accumulated the faunal remains, while the lowermost units were accumulated by carnivores and raptors".
The artifacts from BLA are assigned to the Wilton industry, characterised by a higher frequency of backed tools than in BLD, associated with small scrapers and adzes.
The artifacts from BLA are assigned to the Wilton industry, characterised by a higher frequency of backed tools than in BLD, associated with small scrapers and adzes.
Methods
Life forms: carnivores, primates, rodents, ungulates, other large mammals, other small mammals
Sampling methods: quarry
Sample size: 225 specimens
Sampled by: H. J. Deacon
Years: 1974 - 1979
Net or trap nights: 0
Basal area status: not applicable
Sampling comments: "Excavations were conducted by H.J. Deacon from 1974 to 1979. In 2009 and 2010, taphonomic and taxonomic data were collected on thousands of previously unsorted specimens, in addition to those previously examined. All MSA and LSA units were examined with the exception of the uppermost pastoralist levels (member DGL)".
Metadata
Sample no: 4083
Contributor no: Benjamin Carter
Enterer: Benjamin Carter
Created: 2023-02-23 12:58:29
Modified: 2023-05-30 04:57:05
Abundance distribution
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts. Values are logged.
Statistics
14 species
6 singletons
total count 225
geometric series index: 29.3
Fisher's α: 3.306
geometric series k: 0.6893
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.6435
Shannon's H: 1.4943
Good's u: 0.9734
Register
| Lepus capensis | 2 | |
| Bunolagus monticularis | 21 | |
| also 2 Leporidae indet. | ||
| Hystrix africaeaustralis | 3 | 15.0 kg |
| Papio ursinus (chacma baboon) | 34 | 20.0 kg |
| Canis cf. mesomelas (black-backed jackal) | 1 | 7.9 kg |
| Felis lybica (African wildcat) | 1 | 4.5 kg |
| Panthera pardus (leopard) | 1 | |
| Procavia capensis (rock hyrax) | 126 | 2.8 kg |
| Equus sp. | 4 | |
| zebra/quagga | ||
| Redunca fulvorufula (mountain reedbuck) | 1 | 29.0 kg |
| Redunca arundinum (southern reedbuck) | 1 | |
| also 2 Redunca sp. | ||
| Pelea capreolus (grey rhebok) | 10 | 16.0 kg |
| Oreotragus oreotragus (klipspringer) | 19 | |
| Raphicerus melanotis (Cape grysbok) | 1 | 9.1 kg |
| also 16 Raphicerus sp. and 8 Neotragini indet. | ||