Browsing by Author "Wurz, Sarah(Sarah Jacoba Deborah)"

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    The Howiesons Poort at Klasies River : from artefacts to cognition
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1997) Wurz, Sarah(Sarah Jacoba Deborah); Deacon, H. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Two samples of artefacts from the Howiesons Poort levels of the Upper member of the Klasies River main site were studied. One sample came from the top cutting of 1967-8 excavation by Singer & Wymer in cave 1A. The other sample was collected in 1995 from the surface of cave 2. The levels date to some 70 000 years ago and the samples include over 500 characteristic Howiesons Poort backed artefacts. A chaȋne opératoire approach was used in the study and this focuses on the succession of choices of the artefact makers. It could be established that in making the Howiesons Poort artefacts raw materials were selected, techniques to produce thin blade blanks were adopted, right sized blades were chosen for retouching and the end product, the backed artefacts, were standardised in form. It is concluded that casual artefacts apart, the main goal of the artefact makers was the production of backed artefacts. The inference drawn is that the process of manufacture of backed artefacts in the Howiesons Poort is a reflection of active style, a conscious attempt to communicate through the choices made. Active style is equated with symbolism. In this time range the evidence in the stone artefacts and in the associated occurrence of ochre, for the use of symbols, is significant because symbolism can be linked to language and modem cognition. The emergence of the modem mind is conventionally associated with the appearance of the Upper Palaeolithic 40 000 years ago in Europe. This perception is questioned by these results.