MIS 4 AND MIS 3 OCCUPATIONS IN SIBUDU, KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA

摘要

Sibudu has pulses of occupation between 77 000 and 38 000 years ago (77 and 38 ka) separated by hiatuses that are as long as 10 ka. Several Middle Stone Age (MSA) industries are represented: pre-Still Bay, Still Bay, Howieson's Poort, post-Howieson's Poort and late and final MSA. Subtle environmental changes seem to have occurred during Marine Isotope Stages 4 and 3 (MIS 4 and 3). Whilst always semi-forested, the Sibudu area probably comprised a mosaic of uneven and changeable patches of coastal forest and savanna. These would have determined the proportions of forest and plains animals available for hunting. Social and demographic factors may also have played a role in the variability observed at Sibudu. Occupations at ~58 ka and ~48 ka were associated with thick, broad stacks of combustion features whereas burning events older than 62 ka are smaller and typically comprise discrete hearths. The dissimilar combustion features might point to group size differences that resulted from demographic fluctuations in MIS 4 and 3.