New investigations at the Middle Stone Age site of Pockenbank Rockshelter, Namibia

Isabell Schmidt, Götz Ossendorf, Elena Hensel, Olaf Bubenzer, Barbara Eichhorn, Lothar Gessert, Goodman Gwasira, Felix Henselowsky, Emma Imalwa, Martin Kehl, Janet Rethemeyer, Astrid Röpke, Judith Sealy, Ingrid Stengel & Madelon Tusenius

Abstract

In southern Africa, Middle Stone Age sites with long sequences have been the focus of intense international and interdisciplinary research over the past decade (cf. Wadley 2015). Two techno-complexes of the Middle Stone Age—the Still Bay and Howiesons Poort—have been associated with many technological and behavioural innovations of Homo sapiens. The classic model argues that these two techno-complexes are temporally separated ‘horizons’ with homogenous material culture (Jacobs et al. 2008), reflecting demographic pulses and supporting large subcontinental networks. This model was developed on the basis of evidence from southern African sites regarded as centres of subcontinental developments.


Authors

  • Isabell Schmidt
    Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne, CRC 806, Bernhard-Feilchenfeld-Straße 11, 50969 Cologne, Germany (Email: isabell.schmidt@uni-koeln.de)
  • Götz Ossendorf
    School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa (Email: gotz.ossendorf@wits.ac.za)
  • Elena Hensel
    Institute of Geography, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Cologne, Germany (Email: ehensel@smail.uni-koeln.de)
  • Olaf Bubenzer
    Institute of Geography, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Cologne, Germany (Email: olaf.bubenzer@uni-koeln.de)
  • Barbara Eichhorn
    Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Norbert-Wollheim-Platz 1, 60629 Frankfurt (Main), Germany (Email: b.eichhorn@em-uni-frankfurt.de)
  • Lothar Gessert
    Namib Huib Plateau Park, P.O. Box 5723, Windhoek, Namibia (Email: loges@iway.na)
  • Goodman Gwasira
    Department of Geography, History and Environmental Studies, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia (Email: ggwasira@unam.na)
  • Felix Henselowsky
    Institute of Geography, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Cologne, Germany (Email: felix.henselowsky@uni-koeln.de)
  • Emma Imalwa
    Archaeology Department, National Museum of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia (Email: emmaimalwa@gmail.com)
  • Martin Kehl
    Institute of Geography, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Cologne, Germany (Email: martin.kehl@uni-koeln.de)
  • Janet Rethemeyer
    Institute for Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Straße 49a, 50674 Cologne, Germany (Email: janet.rethemeyer@uni-koeln.de)
  • Astrid Röpke
    Archaeobotanical Laboratory, Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne, Weyertal 125, 50931 Cologne, Germany (Email: astrid.roepke@uni-koeln.de)
  • Judith Sealy
    Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa (Email: judith.sealy@uct.ac.za)
  • Ingrid Stengel
    Department of Geo-Spatial Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 13388, Windhoek, Namibia (Email: ingrid@namibgeovista.com)
  • Madelon Tusenius
    Natura Viva cc, Cape Town, P.O. Box 12410, Mill Street, Cape Town 8010, South Africa (Email: madelontusenius@gmail.com)