EXPLORINGDESERTADAPTATIONSATSPITZKLOOF
ROCKSHELTERB,SOUTHAFRICA
CourseID:ARCHXL159
July9-August12,2017
DIRECTORS:
Dr.GenevieveDewar,UniversityofTorontoScarborough([email protected])
Dr.BrianStewart,UniversityofMichigan([email protected])
INTRODUCTION
SpitzkloofisasseriesofthreeneighboringrocksheltersintheRichtersveldregionofNamaqualand,a
coastaldesertinthenorthwestcornerofSouthAfrica.Namaqualandisasemi-aridsouthernextension
oftheNamibDesertofNamibia.Extremelyruggedandremote,theRichtersveldisknownforits
spectacularlystrangeanddesolatelandscapes,itsextraordinarilydiverseplantandanimallife,and,
thoughthelocalinhabitantsaregenerallyimpoverished,itsimmensemineralwealth.Although
desolate,transhumantpastoralists,thedescendantsofwhomstilllivehere,thrivedinthislandscapefor
some2000years.Untillastcentury,theregionwashometodesert-dwellinghunter-gatherergroupsfor
atleast60,000yearsandprobablymuchlonger.
OurworkatSpitzkloofispartofalargercomparativeprojectentitled,AdaptationstoMarginal
EnvironmentsintheMiddleStoneAge(AMEMSA).Thisprojectaimstounderstandhowsomeofthe
world’searliestfullymodernhumansocietiesadaptedtochallengingAfricanenvironments.Project
AMEMSAisexploringtwosuchenvironments:(1)theNamaqualanddesertand(2)theLesotho
Highlands(insoutheasternsouthernAfrica).Weareparticularlyinterestedintheevolution,overthe
past200,000years,ofthebehavioralflexibilitythatsoepitomizesourspecies–flexibilitythatenabled
ustocolonizetheglobeandintheprocessout-competeourlessversatilearchaiccousins,includingthe
Neanderthals,DenisovansandHobbits.
ThethreeSpitzkloofRockshelters–designatedA,BandC–formthe‘backbone’ofourresearchin
Namaqualand.SpitzkloofAwasexcavatedoverthecourseoftwofieldseasonsin2010and2011.These
excavationsuncoveredathree-meterdeepstratigraphicsequencewitharchaeologicaldeposits
stretchingbacktoroughly60,000yearsago.ExcavationsatSpitzkloofB,justnextdoor,werebegunin
2012.Toourdelight,wediscoveredthatthedepositshavesuperbstratigraphicintegrity,excellent
organicpreservation,andextremelyrichculturalremains.Basedonthisandtheshapeoftheshelter
floor,weareanticipatingadeep,well-stratifiedHoloceneandlaterPleistocenesequence.Thefinely
1|P a g e beddedstratigraphy,highartifactdensities,andrigorousexcavationmethodsnecessitatedaslowpace
ofexcavationfrom2013to2015,resultingintheremovalof∼90cmofdepositbyendofthe2015
season.
Thegoalofthe2017fieldseasonistocontinueexcavatingSpitzkloofB,andtoconductarchaeological
andgeomorphologicalsurveysinthesurroundingarea.Wewillbeginexcavatinginlayersdatingto
40,000yearsagowiththeaimtostudyhowpeoplelivedinthedesertduringaperiodofenvironmental
flux.WeexpecttofindMiddleStoneAgeartefacts(bladesandpoints)aswellasanimalremains.The
goalofoursurveywillbetolookforopensiteswithartefactsthatarealsopresentintherockshelter
andtofindrawmaterialsourcesnearthesite.Togetherthedatawillhelpuspulltogetheraregional
modelofhowpeopleusedthisdesertlandscapeinthepast.
ACADEMICCREDITUNITS&TRANSCRIPTS
CreditUnits:Attendingstudentswillbeawarded12quartercreditunits(equivalentto8semester
units)throughouracademicpartner,UCLAExtension.UCLAisatoprankedresearchuniversityandits
archaeologyprogramisrankedamongstthebestinthecountry.AllIFRfieldschoolsinstructorsand
curriculaareapprovedbothbythecorrespondingacademicdepartmentandtheAcademicSenateat
UCLA.Thisfieldschoolprovidesaminimumof160directinstructionalhours.
Transcripts:TranscriptsareavailablethroughUCLAUnEXandinstructionsfororderingtranscriptsmay
befoundathttp://bit.ly/2bD0Z3E.Gradeswillbepostedandtranscriptavailableusuallywithinsix
weeksaftertheendofthisfieldschool.AllIFRfieldschoolsaredesignatedXLclasses–coursesthatare
equivalenttoundergraduatecoursesofferedbytheUCLAregularsession.AllXLcoursesaretransferable
forunitandsubjectcredittowardtheBachelor'sDegreeatallcampusesoftheUCandCSUsystems.
Classesnumbered100to199areconsideredupperdivision(junior/senior).Formoreinformation,goto
http://bit.ly/2bjAqmy.
UCLAstudents:StudentscantakeclassesthroughUCLAExtensiontocompleterequirements.However
certainconsiderationsmustbetakenintoaccount.Formoreinformation,gotohttp://bit.ly/2bJWeHK.
CreditUnitsTransfer:MostuniversitiesacceptUCLAcreditunits–thereareveryfewexceptions.
Studentsarestronglyencouragedtodiscussthetransferabilityofthecreditunitswithschoolofficials
BEFOREattendingthefieldschool.
COURSEOBJECTIVES
Theobjectivesofthisfieldschoolaretoeducate,engageandempowerstudentsthrougharchaeological
fieldwork.Afterreceivingafirm,lecture-basedbackgroundinsouthernAfricanprehistory,the
environmentandcultureofNamaqualand,andarchaeologicalmethodandtheory,studentswillputthis
knowledgeintopracticeattheancientSpitzkloofRocksheltersinSouthAfrica’sruggedRichtersveld.In
theprocess,studentswillreceivetraininginarchaeologicalexcavationtechniquesandsurveymethods.
Studentswillbeengagedwiththeprehistoricarchaeologicalrecordthroughrockshelterexcavationand
landscapesurvey,andwiththedirectors,TA’sandtheirpeersthroughtheverynatureoflivingtogether
inacampingenvironment.Finally,theexperienceofworkingtogethertowardsgeneratinghigh-quality
archaeologicaldatawillempowerstudentstobeconfidentinfuturestudiesandimprovelifeskills.
Specifically,studentswillparticipateinthefollowingresearchactivities:
Excavation-Studentswilllearntoexcavatetherocksheltersedimentsbyworkingcloselyalongsidethe
directorsandTA’s.Studentswillhavetheopportunitytoworkonvariousarchaeologicalunitstogain
broadexperiencedealingwithdifferentissuesthatcanarisewhenconductingsinglecontextrecording.
Studentswillalsohaveachancetousethetotalstationtopiece-plotinsituartifacts>2.5cm.
2|P a g e Survey–Whenhighvalleywindspreventusfromexcavatingcarefully,whichhappensfrequently,we
willconductfootsurveysoftheimmediatesurroundingstoidentifyopen-airoccupationsites,lithic
scatters,rawmaterialoutcropsandothergeomorphologicalfeaturesofinterest.
Drawingandnotetaking–Everystudentwillberesponsibleforcompletingdetailedelectroniccontext
sheetsastheyexcavate,includingsediment,featureandartifactdescriptions,andprofilesandplan
viewsillustrationsoftheexcavationunit.Thiswillallbeverifiedbyoneofthedirectors.
Photography–Studentswillhaveachancetoassistwiththephotographyofallcontextsaswellas
artifactsofimportance.
Postexcavation–Studentswilllearnaboutthevariousartifacttypesbyspendingtimesortingthrough
thesievedmaterial.Thiswillfamiliarizethestudentswiththeartifactclassesaswellaslaboratory
techniques.
StudentswillflytoCapeTownfortwodaysoflectures,museumvisitsandtoursofhistoricsitesof
interest.Fromthere,wewilltransporteveryonetoSpitzkloofwherewewillengageinthehands-on
aspectofthefieldschool.Studentswilllearndynamicallybyworkingontheexcavationofthesite,
conductingsurveyinthesurroundinglandscapeandorganizingtheresultingmaterial.
Therewillbescientificspecialistswhojoinusandifstudentshaveaninterestintheirwork,youwillbe
abletoassistthemincollectingsamples,suchaspaleobotanyandmicromorphology.Wewillalsobe
conductingfieldanalysisofthefaunalmaterialduringwhichstudentswilllearnaboutzooarchaeology.
Fridaymorningsareleftopenforimplementingfieldexperimentsorcollectingreferencematerials,and
Fridayafternoonsarecompletelyfree.Theteam’sspecialtiesincludelithicanalysis,zooarcheology,GIS,
andpalaeo-environmentalreconstructionthroughtheuseofpollen,phytolithsandsedimentanalysis.
PREREQUISITES
None.Thisishands-on,experientiallearningandstudentswillstudyon-sitehowtoconduct
archaeologicalresearch.Archaeologyinvolvesphysicalworkandexposuretotheelementsandthus,
requiresameasureofacceptancethatthiswillnotbethetypicaluniversitylearningenvironment.You
willgetsweaty,tired,occasionallycold,andyouwillhavetoworkandliveintheoutdoors.Studentsare
requiredtocomeequippedwithsufficientexcitementandadequateunderstandingthatthe
archaeologicalendeavorrequiresreal,hardwork–inthesun,onyourfeet,andwithyourtrowel.
DISCLAIMER–PLEASEREADCAREFULLY
Archaeologicalfieldworkinvolvesphysicalworkintheoutdoors.Youshouldbeawarethatconditions
inthefieldaredifferentthanthoseyouexperienceinyourhome,dormsorcollegetown.This
programoperatesinadesertenvironmentinSouthAfricawheresnakesandscorpionshavebeen
observed.Whileitwillbewinter,thetemperaturesduringthedaycanreachupto800Fandatnight
thetemperaturemaydropclosetofreezing.Humidityisrelativelylow,butflyinginsectssuchas
mosquitoes,beesandfliesmaybeclosetotheexcavationarea.Inordertobeprotectedfrom
sunburnand/orinsectspleasebringahat,sunscreen,sunglassesandinsectrepellent.
Ifyouhavemedicalconcerns,pleasediscussthemwithyourdoctor.Allotherconcernsmaybe
discussedwithprojectdirector–asappropriate.
GRADINGMATRIX
60%: Participation–Beingactivelyinvolvedintheexcavationofthesite,labworkandsurvey.
20%: Fieldnotebook–Youwillkeepadailyjournalofyourexcavationprogress,thoughtsand
discoveries.
3|P a g e 20%: Shortassignment–Attheendofthefieldseasonyouwillsubmitashortessayontheprogress
oftheexcavation,discoveriesthatweremadeandhowtheycontributetotheinterpretationofthesite
andcultureswhodepositedit.
TRAVEL&MEETINGPOINT
AllstudentswillbemetattheCapeTownInternationalAirport(CPT).PleasearrivebyJuly9th.Classes
willbeginat9:00amonJuly10thandweshallmeetatthefoyerof‘TheBackPack’hotel
(http://backpackers.co.za/).
WewillspendtwodaysinCapeTown,leavingforSpitzkloofonthemorningofJuly12th.Atthe
conclusionofthefieldseason,wewillreturntoCapeTownontheeveningofAugust11th.Studentsmay
departCapeTownbeginningthefollowingday–August12th.
Ifyourflightisdelayedoryoumissyourconnection,pleasecall/text/emailimmediatelytotheproject
directors.Theprojectlocalcellphonenumberswillbeprovidedtoenrolledstudents.
VISAREQUIREMENTS
AvalidpassportforatleastsixmonthsisrequiredtoenteranddepartSouthAfrica.USCitizensdonot
requirevisasforstaysofupto90days.Travelersarealsourgedtocarryproofoftheirreturnticket(e.g.
aprintoutoftheirfightitinerary)whenenteringSouthAfrica.Borderofficialsattheairportsfrequently
requesttoseesuchdocument.SouthAfricanlawrequirestravelerstohaveonetotallyblank
(unstamped)visapageintheirpassportinordertoenterthecountry.Inpractice,however,travelers
oftenneedtohavemorethanoneblankpage.TherehavebeennumerousinstancesinwhichSouth
Africanimmigrationofficersrequiredtravelerstohavetwofullyblankpages.Travelerswithoutthe
requisiteblankvisapagesintheirpassportsmayberefusedentryintoSouthAfrica,fined,andreturned
totheirpointoforiginattheirownexpense.
CitizensofothercountriesareaskedtochecktheSouthAfricaEmbassywebsitepageattheirhome
countryforspecificvisarequirement.
ACCOMMODATIONS
CapeTown–InCapeTown,studentswillstayat‘TheBackPack’(http://backpackers.co.za/)situatedin
theheartofthecity.TheBackpackhasanairportshuttlethatwillcollectyoudirectlyfromCapeTown
InternationalAirport.TheBackpackisanapproximately20minutedrivefromtheairport.Wewillstayat
thesamevenueonthenightthatwereturntoCapeTownfromthesite(August11).
Spitzkloof–Onsite,wherethemajorityofthefieldschoolwilltakeplace,wewillbecamping.Youwill
berequiredtobringyourowntent,sleepingbag,airmattressetc.Youwillreceiveaninformation
packagebeforeweleavedetailingtheequipmentforwhichyouwillberesponsible.
Webringallfoodandwaterfordrinking/washingintothefield.Thisisarugged,isolateddesert
environmentwithabsolutelynosupermarketsorstoresintheimmediatearea;theclosestsupermarket
isa1.5hourdriveawayoverroughterrain.Wethuscookourownmealsinthefield.Wetaketurns
cookinganddoingthewashingup,allowingbuddingchefsanopportunitytowowusall.Wehavealso
builtourownrock-and-sandpizzaovenatthesite(itworks!)thatweuseonSundayevenings.Weeat
verywellwithtypicalmealsconsistingofrisotto,pasta,curry,pizzaandevencalzones.Aswedonot
haveafridgesomostmealsarevegetarianwiththeexceptionoftinnedtunaanddriedmeat(jerky,
knownlocallyasbiltong).Wedo,however,havetheoccasionalbarbeque(meatand/orfish)ondayswe
returnfromtownwithfreshproduceandwater(approximatelyonceperweek).Thosewhoenjoymilk
intheircoffee/teawillalsobehappytoknowwedohavelonglifemilkincamp.Wecanaccommodate
vegetarians,peoplewithlactoseintolerance,orwhorequireHalalorKosherfood.
4|P a g e Toiletandshowerfacilitiesareverybasicbutfunctional.Ourtoiletsarefrequentlyrenewed,open-air
(butsecluded)long-drops.Wewashusingsolarshowerstoheatwater,whicheveryoneshouldbring.
Thereisenoughwaterforeveryonetowashattheendofeveryworkday.
EQUIPMENTLIST
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Tent(preferablyfour,butbyallmeans
three-season)
Sub-zerosleepingbag(itmustbelowable
tohandletemperaturesbelow0°C–I
recommend-7or-10°C).
Campingmat(preferablythermaresttype
inflatablemat–keepsthechillout–thisis
essential)
Smallpillow
Solarshower
Hikingboots
Softbottomedshoes(i.e.trainers/sneakers)
Headlampand/ortorch/flashlight
Plentyofback-upbatteriesforany
electronics(esp.headlamps)
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Workclothes
Warmandcoldweatherclothing,including
cleaneveningwear(i.e.non-working
clothes)andsleepingwear
Toiletriesincludingsunscreen,lipbalm,
soap,shampooandmoisturizingcream
Hat(bothsunandwarm)andsunglasses
Raingear
Asmallbackpack(forhiking)
Waterbottle/canteen
Camera(ifyouwant!)
Workglovesfordigging
Bathingsuit
Anyprescriptionmedicines
Atowel!
COURSESCHEDULE
Week1(July10-16)
Monday
Morning:Lecture–IntrotosouthernAfricanarchaeologyI
Afternoon:Lecture–IntrotosouthernAfricanarchaeologyII
Afternoon:VisittheIzikoSouthAfricanMuseum
Readings:Mitchell2002,Chapters1-5
Tuesday
Morning:Lecture–TheMiddleStoneAgesouthernAfrica
Afternoon:Lecture–LaterStoneAgesouthernAfrica
Afternoon:VisittheCapeCastle
Readings:Mitchell2002,Chapters6-10
Wednesday Allday:DrivetoSpitzkloof
Thursday
Morning:Lecture–IntroductiontoProjectAMEMSA
Afternoon:Lecture–Namaqualand:environment,historyandculture
Readings:Cowlingetal.1999,Chase&Meadows2007,Desmet2007,Odendaal&
Suich2007,Hoffmanetal.2007,Webley2007,Dewar&Stewart2012,2016a,2016b
Friday Allday:ConstructcampatSpitzkloof,directorstoPortNollothforsupplies
Saturday
Morning:Organizecamp
Afternoon:Removebackfillfromarchaeologicaltrench
Sunday
Morning:Cleantrenchinpreparationforexcavation
5|P a g e Afternoon:Studenttraining–principlesofexcavation&‘trenchetiquette’
Week2-4(July17-August7)*
DailySchedulewithahalfdayonFridays
7amBreakfast
8amBeginwork
12pmLunch
1pmReturntowork
5pmDiscussionoffindingsoftheday
7pmDinner
*SundayAug6,morning:Lecture–Lifeinthedesert:ethnographyandtheory
Afternoon:Lecture–Lifeinthedesert:archaeologicalevidence Readings:Yellen1977,Wiessner1982,Smith2005,Veth2005,Vogelsangetal2010,
McCalletal.2011,Dewar&Orton2013,Dewar&Stewart2012,2016a,2016b Week5(August8-11)
Tuesday
Photographs&Drawing
Wednesday
Drawing&Sampling
Thursday
Backfill
Friday DrivebacktoCapeTown
Saturday
Flyhome
READINGS
Chase,B.M.&Meadows,M.E.(2007).LateQuaternarydynamicsofsouthernAfrica'swinter-rainfall
zone.Earth-ScienceReviews84:103-138.
Cowling,R.M.,Esler,K.J.&Rundel,P.W.(1999).Namaqualand,SouthAfrica:anoverviewofaunique
winter-rainfalldesertecosystem.PlantEcology142:3-21.
Desmet,P.G.(2007).Namaqualand:abriefoverviewofthephysicalandfloristicenvironment.Journalof
AridEnvironments70:570-587.
Dewar,G.&Stewart,B.A.(2012).PreliminaryresultsofexcavationsatSpitzkloofRockshelter,
Richtersveld,SouthAfrica.QuaternaryInternational270:30-39.
Dewar,G.&Orton,J.(2013).Subsistence,settlement,andmaterialcultureonthecentralNamaqualand
coastlineIn:Jerardino,A.,Braun,D.&Malan,A.(Eds.),TheArchaeologyoftheWestCoast,
SouthAfrica.CambridgeMonographsinAfricanArchaeology84,BAR2526109-123.
DewarG.&Stewart,B.A.(2016a).Paleoenvironments,sealevelsandlanduseinNamaqualand,South
Africa, during MIS 6-2. In: Jones, S. and Stewart, B.A. (Eds.),Africa from MIS 6-2: Population
DynamicsandPaleoenvironments.Springer,Dordecht.
Dewar G. & Stewart, B.A. (2016b). Early maritime desert dwellers in Namaqualand, South Africa: A
Holocene perspective on Pleistocene peopling. Journal of island and coastal Archaeology. DOI:
10.1080/15564894.2016.1216476
Hoffman,M.T.,Allsopp,N.&Rohde,R.F.(2007).SustainablelanduseinNamaqualand,SouthAfrica:key
issuesinaninterdisciplinarydebate.JournalofAridEnvironments70:561-569.
McCall, G et al. (2011). Erb Tanks: a Middle and Later Stone Age Rockshelter in the Central Namib
Desert,WesternNamibia.2011.Palaeoanthropology:398-421
6|P a g e Mitchell,P.(2002).TheArchaeologyofSouthernAfrica.CambridgeUniversityPress,Cambridge.
Odendaal,F.&Suich,H.(2007).Richtersveld.TheLandandItsPeople.Struik,CapeTown
Smith,M.(2005).Movingintothesoutherndeserts:anarchaeologyofdispersalandcolonization.In:
Smith,M.,Hesse,P.(Eds.),23S:ArchaeologyandEnvironmentalHistoryoftheSouthernDeserts.
NationalMuseumofAustraliaCanberra,Canberra.
Stewart,B.A.etal.(2012).AfromontaneforagersoftheLatePleistocene:siteformation,chronologyand
occupationalpulsingatMelikaneRockshelter,Lesotho.QuaternaryInternational270:40-60.
Stewart,B.A.&DewarG.(n.d.).AdaptationstoMarginalEnvironmentsintheMiddleStoneAge(Project
AMEMSA):ResearchDesignandGoals.Unpublishedreport.
Veth,P.(2005).CyclesofaridityandhumanmobilityriskminimizationamonglatePleistoceneforagers
ofthewesterndesert,Australia.In:Veth,P.,Smith,M.,Hiscock,P.(Eds.),DesertPeoples:
ArchaeologicalPerspectives.BlackwellPublishing,Victoria.
Vogelsang et al (2010). New excavations of Middle Stone Age deposits at Apollo 11 Rockshelter,
Namibia: Stratigraphy, Archaeology, Chronology and Past Environments. Journal of African
Archaeology8:185-218.
Webley,L.E.(2007).Archaeologicalevidenceforpastoralistland-useandsettlementinNamaqualand
overthelast2000years.JournalofAridEnvironments70:629-640.
Wiessner,P.(1982).Risk,reciprocityandsocialinfluenceson!KungSaneconomics.InLeacock,E.&Lee,
R.(Eds.),PoliticsandHistoryinBandSocieties,pp61-84.CambridgeUniversityPress,
Cambridge.
Yellen,J.(1977).Longtermhunter-gathereradaptationtodesertenvironments:abiogeographical
perspective.WorldArchaeology8:262-274.
FURTHERRECOMMENDED
Barham,L.&Mitchell,P.(2008).TheFirstAfricans:AfricanArchaeologyfromtheEarliestToolmakersto
MostRecentForagers.CambridgeUniversityPress,Cambridge.
Gamble,C.(1994).Timewalkers:thePrehistoryofGlobalColonization.HarvardUniversityPress,
Cambridge.
7|P a g e