Beaumont, PBVogel, JC2007-03-142007-06-072007-03-142007-06-072006-05Beaumont, PB and Vogel, JC. 2006. On a timescale for the past million years of human history in central South Africa. South African Journal of Science, vol. 102, 6 May, pp 217-2280038-2353http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1944http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1944Located between Danidiskuil and Kuruman in the Northern Cape province of South Africa is Wonderwerk Cave, where excavations from 1978 to 1996 revealed a similar to 6-m depth of deposits made up of nine Major Units (MUs), of which some have been dated by radiocarbon, the U-series method and palaeomagnetism. The lithic succession in those sediments was found to be Later Stone Age in MU1 at 1.0-12.5 kyr ago, Middle Stone Age in MU2 at similar at 70 to > 220 kyr ago, Fauresmith in MUs 3-4 at similar to 270-c. 500 kyr ago, and very sparse biface assemblages before then to > 0.78 Myr BR Associated behaviours are represented by collected exotic river pebbles and quartz crystals in MUs 2-4, incised lines on portable stones in MUs 1-4, a grass bedding area in MU4, red pigment pieces in MUs 1-7, and traces of the use of fire in MUs 1-9. These findings, as a whole, are taken to support a scenario that sees the upland savannas at the southern end of Africa as a focal region of biocultural evolution over a period extending back to before the onset of the Middle Pleistocene.1156060 bytesapplication/pdfenCopyright: 2006 Academy of Science South AfricaBiocultural evolutionMiddle stone agesAcheulean assemblageHomo rhodesiensisMajor unitsWonderwerk caves - South AfricaHistorical sciencesArticleBeaumont, P., & Vogel, J. (2006). On a timescale for the past million years of human history in central South Africa. http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1944Beaumont, PB, and JC Vogel "On a timescale for the past million years of human history in central South Africa." (2006) http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1944Beaumont P, Vogel J. On a timescale for the past million years of human history in central South Africa. 2006; http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1944.TY - Article AU - Beaumont, PB AU - Vogel, JC AB - Located between Danidiskuil and Kuruman in the Northern Cape province of South Africa is Wonderwerk Cave, where excavations from 1978 to 1996 revealed a similar to 6-m depth of deposits made up of nine Major Units (MUs), of which some have been dated by radiocarbon, the U-series method and palaeomagnetism. The lithic succession in those sediments was found to be Later Stone Age in MU1 at 1.0-12.5 kyr ago, Middle Stone Age in MU2 at similar at 70 to > 220 kyr ago, Fauresmith in MUs 3-4 at similar to 270-c. 500 kyr ago, and very sparse biface assemblages before then to > 0.78 Myr BR Associated behaviours are represented by collected exotic river pebbles and quartz crystals in MUs 2-4, incised lines on portable stones in MUs 1-4, a grass bedding area in MU4, red pigment pieces in MUs 1-7, and traces of the use of fire in MUs 1-9. These findings, as a whole, are taken to support a scenario that sees the upland savannas at the southern end of Africa as a focal region of biocultural evolution over a period extending back to before the onset of the Middle Pleistocene. DA - 2006-05 DB - ResearchSpace DP - CSIR KW - Biocultural evolution KW - Middle stone ages KW - Acheulean assemblage KW - Homo rhodesiensis KW - Major units KW - Wonderwerk caves - South Africa KW - Historical sciences LK - https://researchspace.csir.co.za PY - 2006 SM - 0038-2353 T1 - On a timescale for the past million years of human history in central South Africa TI - On a timescale for the past million years of human history in central South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10204/1944 ER -