Browsing by Author "Halkett, Dave"

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    Stone tools beads and a river: two Holocene microlithic sites at Jakkalsberg in the northwestern Richtersveld Northern Cape South Africa
    (2010) Orton, Jayson; Halkett, Dave
    Jakkalsberg N and Jakkalsberg L, located on the bank of the Orange River in the area of South Africa known as the Richtersveld, date to the mid-and late mid-Holocene, respectively. The former is a palimpsest revealing scattered material from other periods. Both contain large assemblages of lithics and bead-manufacturing debris. Their formal tools are diverse and include types uncommon in South Africa but more frequently found through much of the rest of Africa. In particular, these sites contain more than an incidental occurrence of denticulates and triangles, respectively. The formal tool composition indicates continuity with assemblages from both central and southern Africa and supports common origins for many African microlithic industries. The river serves as a lifeline in the hostile Richtersveld environment with fish being a key resource. Despite having been subjected to periodic flooding and siltation, spatial integrity and preservation of artefacts at these sites was sufficient to allow high research value.