- African Archaeology, Social zooarchaeology, Southern African archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Domestication (Zooarchaeology), Archaeozoology, and 20 moreSouth African Iron Age, Later Stone Age (Archaeology), Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), African Iron Age, Pastoralism (Archaeology), Experimental Archaeology, Cognitive archaeology, Rock Art (Archaeology), Southern African Iron Age, South Africa (Archaeology), Historical Archaeology, Evolutionary Anthropology, Africa (Archaeology), Pastoralism in Africa, African Middle Stone Age, Ethnography, Mozambique, Stone Age (Archaeology), Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, and Taphonomyedit
Brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea) are often implicated as either contributing to or scavenging faunal remains at archaeological sites in southern Africa. Various criteria have been established to distinguish between anthropogenic and... more
Brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea) are often implicated as either contributing to or scavenging faunal remains at archaeological sites in southern Africa. Various criteria have been established to distinguish between anthropogenic and brown hyena accumulations. Brown hyenas regularly feed on other carnivores. It is expected that such hyena assemblages will have a greater diversity of carnivore species, compared to accumulations of humans. We test this notion using anthropogenic accumulations dating to the Middle Stone Age from the Eastern and Western Cape of South Africa, as well as (nearly) contemporaneous fossil brown hyena accumulations from the same region, using a Carnivore Richness Index (CRI). This index measures the richness of carnivore taxa in samples against the richness of ungulate taxa. The results show that CRI values are generally low for faunas from layers and whole assemblages accumulated by hominins. The range is between 0.13 and 0.42 when all the layers are considered together as a whole for individual sites. For fossil brown hyena samples, the CRI values are consistently higher relative to hominin-induced samples with values ranging between 0.40 and 0.52. The results indicate that quantification using the CRI effectively discriminates layers and sites with higher probabilities of brown hyena activity from those of anthropogenic accumulations. Thus, if used in conjunction with other methods such as the carnivore-ungulate ratio, taphonomic modifications and the presence of juvenile hyena remains and coprolites, it will allow for better identification of the agents involved in the accumulation process.
Research Interests: Zooarchaeology, Stone Age (Archaeology), Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), Taphonomy, Carnivora, and 15 moreCarnivore Ecology, Pleistocene Vertebrate, Neanderthals (Palaeolithic Archaeology), Archaeology of Hunting, Pleistocene, Middle Palaeolithic, Pleistocene mammals, Neandertals, African Archaeology, Carnivores, Vertebrate taphonomy, Modern Human Origins, Middle Stone Age, Homo Sapiens, and South African Archaeology
Research Interests:
Klasies River is an important site for the study of the evolution of Homo sapiens, understanding modern behaviour and human interaction with the environment during the Middle Stone Age. The faunal sample from the RS sub-member in Cave 1B... more
Klasies River is an important site for the study of the evolution of Homo sapiens, understanding modern behaviour and human interaction with the environment during the Middle Stone Age. The faunal sample from the RS sub-member in Cave 1B (MSA I), dating to ca. 115 000 years ago and older, was recently analysed. The results indicate that humans were hunting a variety of prey. The most common taxa in the sample are indeterminate medium birds, indeterminate small mammals, rock hyraxes, and indeterminate medium mammals. Based on multiple lines of evidence including the presence of: cultural artefacts, shellfish, tortoises, large mammals, butchery marks, and burnt specimens; and, a lack of carnivore taxa compared to ungulates (as reflected in the low carnivore-ungulate ratio), hyena coprolites and beak damage, coupled with infrequent baboons and the absence of leopards (as reflected in the low leopard index), it is apparent that humans were the main agent of accumulation of the fauna. However, other agents of accumulation such as brown hyenas, leopards and raptors likely contributed some faunal remains, especially of smaller taxa.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Prehistoric Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, African History, Africa, and 15 moreArchaeozoology, Paleoenvironment, Paleoecology, Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), Taphonomy, Paleoenvironment (Archaeology), Carnivore Ecology, South Africa (Archaeology), South African history, Middle Palaeolithic, Precolonial African History, Vertebrate taphonomy, Middle Stone Age, Bone Tools, and Homo Sapiens
A staphylinid beetle morphotype, Mesostaphylinus orapa sp. n., is described based on a single well-preserved compression fossil from an Upper Cretaceous lacustrine deposit at Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana. Mesostaphylinus Zhang is placed... more
A staphylinid beetle morphotype, Mesostaphylinus orapa sp. n., is described based on a single well-preserved compression fossil from an Upper Cretaceous lacustrine deposit at Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana. Mesostaphylinus Zhang is placed in the extant subfamily Paederinae based on general habitus and an unambiguous synapomorphy, the concealed antennal insertions. Mesostaphylinus is a genus of convenience for fossils belonging in Paederinae, but lacking diagnostic features (e.g., maxillary palpomeres) to assign and delineate them into appropriate tribes and subtribes. The fossil described here is morphologically similar to M. laiyangensis Zhang, M. fraternus Zhang, Wang and Xu, M. elongatus Solodovnikov and Yue, M. yixianus Solodovnikov and Yue, and M. antiquus Solodovnikov and Yue. Compared to other fossil staphylinid beetles that have been described thus far, the fossil also portrays morphological conservatism, morphological stasis, or arrested evolution dating back to the Cretaceous, thereby suggesting a punctuated equilibrium pattern of evolution.
Research Interests:
Hoekfontein is a Late Iron Age settlement in the Central Bankenveld of South Africa. Rescue excavations were undertaken at the site in 2002. The fauna indicates that livestock and wild animals are present in the sample. Cattle is the... more
Hoekfontein is a Late Iron Age settlement in the Central Bankenveld of
South Africa. Rescue excavations were undertaken at the site in 2002.
The fauna indicates that livestock and wild animals are present in the
sample. Cattle is the dominant taxon. This is also the case at other Late
Iron Age settlements in the region, including mega-sites. The presence
of expedient bone tools and worked freshwater mussel is similar to
those found at other Late Iron Age sites.
South Africa. Rescue excavations were undertaken at the site in 2002.
The fauna indicates that livestock and wild animals are present in the
sample. Cattle is the dominant taxon. This is also the case at other Late
Iron Age settlements in the region, including mega-sites. The presence
of expedient bone tools and worked freshwater mussel is similar to
those found at other Late Iron Age sites.
Research Interests:
Rain-control in the Shashe-Limpopo Confluence Area (SLCA) is one sphere in which hunter-gatherer and farmer interaction is archaeologically visible. One avenue of examining this interaction is through faunal analysis. This paper presents... more
Rain-control in the Shashe-Limpopo Confluence Area (SLCA) is one sphere in which hunter-gatherer and farmer interaction is archaeologically visible. One avenue of examining this interaction is through faunal analysis. This paper presents an updated taxa list for one of the identified rain-control sites in the SLCA-Ratho Kroonkop. By identifying the taxa accumulated at Ratho Kroonkop and contextualising them using radiocarbon dates and relevant ethnographies, we were able to determine that particular animals were significant to the people who utilised the location as a rain-control site. Additionally, we were able to establish that this significance continued from the K2 period (AD 1000-1220) to the historic period.
Research Interests: Islamic Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Ethnography, Archaeozoology, Taphonomy, and 11 moreSocial zooarchaeology, Early Islamic Archaeology, Ritual Zooarchaeology, Archaeology of Ritual, Iron Age, African ethnography, African Archaeology, Southern African archaeology, Vertebrate taphonomy, Rain-Control, and South African Archaeology
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
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Research Interests: Sociology and Archaeology
A new genus and species of a staphylinid beetle, Afrinophilina orapa gen. et sp. n., is described using a single well-preserved compression fossil from an Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, the Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana.... more
A new genus and species of a staphylinid beetle, Afrinophilina orapa gen. et sp. n., is described using a single well-preserved compression fossil from an Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, the Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana. Afrinophilina is placed in the extant subfamily Paederinae based on concealed antennal insertions, and hypomeron with a well-developed post-coxal process. It is placed among the Pinophilini based on an elongated procoxae (as long as the profemora), broad, oval, fully exposed trochantin, and a conspicuous second abdominal segment. The new species is placed in the Pinophilina, rather than the Procirrina, based on the presence of well-preserved pair of paratergites on segments III-VIII. Characters which may distinguish this new species from other Pinophilina include the lack of an emarginate shape of the rear margins of the elytra, broad neck, and having two pairs of paratergites on each side of segments III-VI. This is the earliest occurrence of a member of ...
Research Interests:
A new genus and species of rove beetle, Afristenus orapensis gen. et sp. n., is described and figured based on one well-preserved compression fossil from the African, Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, Orapa Diamond Mine in... more
A new genus and species of rove beetle, Afristenus orapensis gen. et sp. n., is described and figured based on one well-preserved compression fossil from the African, Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, Orapa Diamond Mine in north-east Botswana. Afristenus is definitively placed in the extant subfamily Steninae based on its harpoon-like labial feeding apparatus. Afristenus differs from all other Steninae by head and neck behind the eyes being broader than eyes that cover two-thirds of the side of the head and transverse prothorax, which is distinctly broader than the head. The new specimen from Orapa Diamond Mine possibly has unique antennae with a compact 5-segmented-club, and a stem composed of elongated antennal segments. This is the first stenine compression fossil with a preserved labial feeding mechanism. It confirms the widespread distribution of stenines with this feeding apparatus in the mid-Cretaceous; supporting the hypothesis that this feeding mechanism was part of the ground plan of the Steninae, and the Lower Cretaceous, but probably not Jurassic origin for the group. It also demonstrates morphological conservatism dating back to the Cretaceous.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In this paper, we present the results of a preliminary analysis of the fossil bovids present at X Cave on Bolt's Farm in the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa. The X Cave faunal sample derives from ex situ deposits and includes a... more
In this paper, we present the results of a preliminary analysis of the fossil bovids present at X Cave on Bolt's Farm in the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa. The X Cave faunal sample derives from ex situ deposits and includes a relatively large component of postcranial specimens. From the bovid taxa represented the deposit seems to be younger than 2.5 Ma, although the taxa identified do not represent a confined time period. The sample represents a palaeoenvironment consisting of grassland and woodland, as well as stable water sources and rocky elements. The bovid specimens were most likely collected by carnivores, although it may be possible that other agents also contributed.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Geology, Paleontology, Bovids (Zooarchaeology), Pleistocene, and 4 moreCave, Bovidae, Woodland, and Taxon
Bones of rodents are recovered from most archaeological sites in the American Southwest, but their complex taphonomic history means they receive less attention than other small mammal taxa, such as cottontails and jackrabbits, that are... more
Bones of rodents are recovered from most archaeological sites in the American Southwest, but their complex taphonomic history means they receive less attention than other small mammal taxa, such as cottontails and jackrabbits, that are widely accepted by archaeologists as having been hunted by Indigenous communities. Here we examine the role of rodents in the diet of ancestral Pueblo people, with a focus on data from numerous Crow Canyon Archaeological Center projects in the central Mesa Verde region.
Research Interests:
Na die Anglo-Boereoorlog (1899 –1902) (ook bekend as die Suid-Afrikaanse Oorlog) het die Britse onderwysdepartement weeshuise opgerig vir Afrikaanse kinders in die Kaap-, Oranjerivier- en Transvaal-kolonie. Drie weeshuise is in die... more
Na die Anglo-Boereoorlog (1899 –1902) (ook bekend as die Suid-Afrikaanse Oorlog) het die Britse onderwysdepartement weeshuise opgerig vir Afrikaanse kinders in die Kaap-, Oranjerivier- en Transvaal-kolonie. Drie weeshuise is in die voormalige Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR/Transvaal) opgerig, naamlik in Irene, Potchefstroom en Pietersburg.
In hierdie studie word die geskiedenis van die Pietersburgse weeshuis ondersoek, wat tussen 1903 en 1907 bestaan het. Die weeshuis in Pietersburg het gedurende hierdie tydperk tussen 35 en 45 kinders
gehuisves. Hulle moes eers in tente woon, maar hul lewensomstandighede het mettertyd verbeter toe militêre geboue as huisvesting aangekoop is. Waterpype is ook mettertyd aangelê sodat hulle lopende water gehad het. Daar is goed na die weeskinders omgesien en hulle was oor die algemeen gesond. Meisies is opgelei in huishoudelike werksaamhede, terwyl die seuns ook take rondom die weeshuis verrig het. Die kinders het hul opvoeding by die Government Elementary School ontvang. Die presiese ligging van die weeshuis is onbekend, maar daar is
aanduidinge dat dit oos van die oorspronklike dorp geleë was. Die drie weeshuise van Transvaal is in 1907 gekombineer toe die Potchefstroomse weeshuis vergroot en al die kinders oorgeplaas is na Potchefstroom. Die sluiting van die Pietersburgse weeshuis het teenstand onder die vooraanstaande gemeenskap van die dorp ontlok.
In hierdie studie word die geskiedenis van die Pietersburgse weeshuis ondersoek, wat tussen 1903 en 1907 bestaan het. Die weeshuis in Pietersburg het gedurende hierdie tydperk tussen 35 en 45 kinders
gehuisves. Hulle moes eers in tente woon, maar hul lewensomstandighede het mettertyd verbeter toe militêre geboue as huisvesting aangekoop is. Waterpype is ook mettertyd aangelê sodat hulle lopende water gehad het. Daar is goed na die weeskinders omgesien en hulle was oor die algemeen gesond. Meisies is opgelei in huishoudelike werksaamhede, terwyl die seuns ook take rondom die weeshuis verrig het. Die kinders het hul opvoeding by die Government Elementary School ontvang. Die presiese ligging van die weeshuis is onbekend, maar daar is
aanduidinge dat dit oos van die oorspronklike dorp geleë was. Die drie weeshuise van Transvaal is in 1907 gekombineer toe die Potchefstroomse weeshuis vergroot en al die kinders oorgeplaas is na Potchefstroom. Die sluiting van die Pietersburgse weeshuis het teenstand onder die vooraanstaande gemeenskap van die dorp ontlok.
Research Interests: Historical Archaeology, War Studies, African History, Colonialism, South Africa (History), and 15 moreBritish Empire, British Imperial and Colonial History (1600 - ), 20th century (History), Social History, South African War (1899-1902), South African history, Afrikaner history, Historical memory and Identity studies, Orphaned Children, Imperialism, Class Struggle, Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, Southern African liberation movements, Orphans and Vulnerable Children, and Afrikaner identity
Radiogenic strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) are a useful tool in forensics, ecology, bioarcheology and paleoanthropology allowing investigation of present and past migration and landscape use. The measurement of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio... more
Radiogenic strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) are a useful tool in forensics, ecology, bioarcheology and paleoanthropology allowing investigation of present and past migration and landscape use. The measurement of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio traditionally assumes a constant stable (88Sr/86Sr) isotope ratio. However, some studies indicate that these stable Sr isotopes may display mass-dependent fractionation, suggesting that the 88Sr/86Sr ratio may fingerprint previously unknown dietary and physiological information. Here we present a survey of the variability of δ88Sr values, along with the 87Sr/86Sr ratios, in fourteen reference materials of geological and biological origin using MC-ICPMS. The measurements employ a simple sample-standard bracketing method and zirconium external correction. Comparisons with double-spiked δ88Sr TIMS analyses show a very good agreement (0.014 ‰; n = 10). We then applied this method to explore the fractionation of the 88Sr/86Sr ratio in tooth enamel of mammals from two modern food-chains (Kruger National Park and Western Cape, South Africa), and from modern South African chacma baboon populations. Clear differences in the δ88Sr values are observed between plants and teeth of herbivores (~ 0.26 ‰; n = 5), but the distinction between herbivores and carnivores requires further investigation. Variations between tooth enamel of young and adult baboons suggests that the δ88Sr is a promising indicator of weaning behaviors. Our method implementation and preliminary results highlight the importance of coupled radiogenic and stable Sr isotope determination in extant and extinct vertebrates.
Research Interests:
Rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) are small mammals common in South Africa and their fragmented remains are frequently encountered in Quaternary faunas, because a variety of cave-dwelling predators prey on them, including leopards, large... more
Rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) are small mammals common in South Africa and their fragmented remains are frequently encountered in Quaternary faunas, because a variety of cave-dwelling predators prey on them, including leopards, large raptors and humans. Male rock hyraxes are larger than females. We measured the breadth of the distal humeri-a dense part of the skeleton common in Quaternary remains from South Africa-of modern rock hyraxes, which displays sexual dimorphism in the species. We then measured the same anatomical element of rock hyraxes from Plovers Lake and Swartkrans, two Quaternary sites in South Africa, in an attempt to sex the distal humeri. We also include measurements of the extinct Procavia antiqua-a hyrax species of uncertain taxonomic status. Overall, our preliminary results show that the samples from Plovers Lake and Swartkrans Cave contain more females than males. This is supported by modern population studies, which indicate that colonies of rock hyraxes consist of more females. Moreover, our measurements suggest that Procavia antiqua may be a distinct species of hyrax.
Research Interests: Zooarchaeology, Archaeozoology, Mammalogy, Vertebrate Palaeontology, Taphonomy, and 11 morePalaeoecology, Pleistocene Vertebrate, Mammalian Paleontology, Sexual dimorphism, Quaternary palaeontology, Pleistocene mammals, Small Mammals, Quaternary environments, African Archaeology, Mammalian Osteology, and Hyracoidea
A new genus and species of rove beetle, Afristenus orapensis gen. et sp. n., is described and figured based on one well-preserved compression fossil from the African, Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, Orapa Diamond Mine in... more
A new genus and species of rove beetle, Afristenus orapensis gen. et sp. n., is described and figured based on one well-preserved compression fossil from the African, Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, Orapa Diamond Mine in north-east Botswana. Afristenus is definitively placed in the extant subfamily Steninae based on its harpoon-like labial feeding apparatus. Afristenus differs from all other Steninae by head and neck behind the eyes being broader than eyes that cover two-thirds of the side of the head and transverse prothorax, which is distinctly broader than the head. The new specimen from Orapa Diamond Mine possibly has unique antennae with a compact 5-segmented-club, and a stem composed of elongated antennal segments. This is the first stenine compression fossil with a preserved labial feeding mechanism. It confirms the widespread distribution of stenines with this feeding apparatus in the mid-Cretaceous; supporting the hypothesis that this feeding mechanism was part of the ground plan of the Steninae, and the Lower Cretaceous, but probably not Jurassic origin for the group. It also demonstrates morphological conservatism dating back to the Cretaceous.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
South Africa is host to no less than seven extant primate species and also boasts a long history of findings of hominin fossils. Large primates, such as baboons and hominins, have coexisted and interacted for some three million years in... more
South Africa is host to no less than seven extant primate species and also boasts a
long history of findings of hominin fossils. Large primates, such as baboons and
hominins, have coexisted and interacted for some three million years in the region.
This coexistence changed radically over the millennia. During the Plio-Pleistocene,
baboons and hominins were both prey to predators, such as leopards and sabertoothed
cats, and they often slept in caves at night to escape predation. By the Later
Stone Age, baboon remains are anthropologically modified, and the new social
connotations are likely associated with ritual contexts. The potential ritual role of
baboons changed with the arrival of the Iron Age farmers, when baboons were
attracted to cultivated fields. Ethnoprimatologically, baboons became known as
familiars of evil persons, reflecting largely a negative image of these primates.
Europeans introduced rifles to South Africa, and this new technology assisted in
the extermination of baboons in many parts of South Africa. Today, baboons are
confined to nature reserves and rural areas.
long history of findings of hominin fossils. Large primates, such as baboons and
hominins, have coexisted and interacted for some three million years in the region.
This coexistence changed radically over the millennia. During the Plio-Pleistocene,
baboons and hominins were both prey to predators, such as leopards and sabertoothed
cats, and they often slept in caves at night to escape predation. By the Later
Stone Age, baboon remains are anthropologically modified, and the new social
connotations are likely associated with ritual contexts. The potential ritual role of
baboons changed with the arrival of the Iron Age farmers, when baboons were
attracted to cultivated fields. Ethnoprimatologically, baboons became known as
familiars of evil persons, reflecting largely a negative image of these primates.
Europeans introduced rifles to South Africa, and this new technology assisted in
the extermination of baboons in many parts of South Africa. Today, baboons are
confined to nature reserves and rural areas.
Research Interests: Zooarchaeology, Primatology, Rock Art (Archaeology), Archaeozoology, South Africa (History), and 14 morePrimate Ecology, Pleistocene, Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene, Rock Art, Primates, Pleistocene mammals, Australopithecus, African Archaeology, Hominin evolution, Baboons, Primate Evolution, Primate Behavior, South African Archaeology, and Evolution of Hominin and Human Behaviour
Radiogenic strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) are a useful tool in forensics, ecology, bioarcheology and paleoanthropology allowing investigation of present and past migration and landscape use. The measurement of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio... more
Radiogenic strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) are a useful tool in forensics, ecology, bioarcheology and paleoanthropology
allowing investigation of present and past migration and landscape use. The measurement of the
87Sr/86Sr ratio traditionally assumes a constant stable (88Sr/86Sr) isotope ratio. However, some studies indicate
that these stable Sr isotopes may display mass-dependent fractionation, suggesting that the 88Sr/86Sr ratio may
fingerprint previously unknown dietary and physiological information. Here we present a survey of the variability
of δ88Sr values, along with the 87Sr/86Sr ratios, in fourteen reference materials of geological and biological
origin using MC-ICPMS. The measurements employ a simple sample-standard bracketing method and zirconium
external correction. Comparisons with double-spiked δ88Sr TIMS analyses show a very good agreement (0.014 ‰;
n = 10). We then applied this method to explore the fractionation of the 88Sr/86Sr ratio in tooth enamel of
mammals from two modern food-chains (Kruger National Park and Western Cape, South Africa), and from
modern South African chacma baboon populations. Clear differences in the δ88Sr values are observed between
plants and teeth of herbivores (~ 0.26 ‰; n = 5), but the distinction between herbivores and carnivores requires
further investigation. Variations between tooth enamel of young and adult baboons suggests that the δ88Sr
is a promising indicator of weaning behaviors. Our method implementation and preliminary results highlight the
importance of coupled radiogenic and stable Sr isotope determination in extant and extinct vertebrates.
allowing investigation of present and past migration and landscape use. The measurement of the
87Sr/86Sr ratio traditionally assumes a constant stable (88Sr/86Sr) isotope ratio. However, some studies indicate
that these stable Sr isotopes may display mass-dependent fractionation, suggesting that the 88Sr/86Sr ratio may
fingerprint previously unknown dietary and physiological information. Here we present a survey of the variability
of δ88Sr values, along with the 87Sr/86Sr ratios, in fourteen reference materials of geological and biological
origin using MC-ICPMS. The measurements employ a simple sample-standard bracketing method and zirconium
external correction. Comparisons with double-spiked δ88Sr TIMS analyses show a very good agreement (0.014 ‰;
n = 10). We then applied this method to explore the fractionation of the 88Sr/86Sr ratio in tooth enamel of
mammals from two modern food-chains (Kruger National Park and Western Cape, South Africa), and from
modern South African chacma baboon populations. Clear differences in the δ88Sr values are observed between
plants and teeth of herbivores (~ 0.26 ‰; n = 5), but the distinction between herbivores and carnivores requires
further investigation. Variations between tooth enamel of young and adult baboons suggests that the δ88Sr
is a promising indicator of weaning behaviors. Our method implementation and preliminary results highlight the
importance of coupled radiogenic and stable Sr isotope determination in extant and extinct vertebrates.
Research Interests:
Little remains known about the physical size of local sheep from southern Africa during the distant past. Early Venda speakers settled in the region during the middle of the second millennium AD, and an early site associated with them,... more
Little remains known about the physical size of local sheep from southern Africa during the distant past. Early Venda speakers settled in the region during the middle of the second millennium AD, and an early site associated with them, Mutokolwe B, yielded 11 complete metapodia of sheep. This is the largest find of this nature in the southern African region for farming communities. The fauna from Mutokolwe B dates to between AD 1450 and 1550. Measurements of archeological sheep bones can help tease apart questions of breed development and socio-economic organization in the past. We used these metapodials to calculate the shoulder height of sheep. Sheep from Mutokolwe B ranged between 61.69 and 71.17 cm in shoulder size (average 66.28 cm), which is similar to other local sheep breeds such as the Nguni found in South Africa. In addition, the size of the sheep from Mutokolwe B falls within the variation of modern sheep found in southern and Eastern Africa.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Geology, Zooarchaeology, Ethnography, Environmental History, and 15 moreArchaeozoology, Osteoarchaeology, Sheep Behaviour, Animal domestication, African Archaeology, Iron Age archaeology, Animal Husbandry and Livestock, Sheep, Southern African archaeology, Vendas, Ritual Feasting, Osteometry, African Rock Art, Sheep and goat breeding and improvement, and South Africa history
FIG. 5. — Bovid skeletal part representation (NISP).
ABSTRACT Faunal remains from kgoi Boleu's village in the Groblersdal area, Mpumalanga, South Africa were analysed. The site dates to the terminal Late Iron Age. The sample provided information about the economical strategies... more
ABSTRACT Faunal remains from kgoi Boleu's village in the Groblersdal area, Mpumalanga, South Africa were analysed. The site dates to the terminal Late Iron Age. The sample provided information about the economical strategies employed by the inhabitants ...
Research Interests:
Large mammal remains from Middle Stone Age sites in southern Africa, just like in many other parts of Africa, show variability in prey selection. While smaller game are often considered less profitable in terms of meat returns, their... more
Large mammal remains from Middle Stone Age sites in southern Africa, just like in many other parts of Africa,
show variability in prey selection. While smaller game are often considered less profitable in terms of meat
returns, their abundance and fast reproduction meant that they were often favoured over larger prey species. The
Game Index measures the ratio between smaller and larger prey in faunal samples. When applied to MSA faunal
assemblages with low probabilities of carnivore activity, it is apparent that at some sites, notably Blombos Cave
(M3 phase) and Die Kelders (layers 6, 10, 12 and 14), hominins were focussing on acquiring small prey. At these
two sites, the coastal dunes offered plentiful resources to obtain Cape dune molerats, rock hyraxes and steenbok/
grysbok. The focus on small game hunting may not necessarily relate to depletion of large game resources, but
rather that hominins were exploiting the sandy substrates close to habitation caves.
show variability in prey selection. While smaller game are often considered less profitable in terms of meat
returns, their abundance and fast reproduction meant that they were often favoured over larger prey species. The
Game Index measures the ratio between smaller and larger prey in faunal samples. When applied to MSA faunal
assemblages with low probabilities of carnivore activity, it is apparent that at some sites, notably Blombos Cave
(M3 phase) and Die Kelders (layers 6, 10, 12 and 14), hominins were focussing on acquiring small prey. At these
two sites, the coastal dunes offered plentiful resources to obtain Cape dune molerats, rock hyraxes and steenbok/
grysbok. The focus on small game hunting may not necessarily relate to depletion of large game resources, but
rather that hominins were exploiting the sandy substrates close to habitation caves.
Research Interests: Zooarchaeology, Archaeozoology, Stone Age (Archaeology), Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), South Africa (Archaeology), and 14 moreAnthropology of Hunting, Archaeology of Hunting, Pleistocene, Quaternary, Middle Palaeolithic, Quaternary palaeontology, Pleistocene mammals, Small Mammals, African Archaeology, Vertebrate taphonomy, Modern Human Origins, Sample Size, Fynbos Ecology, and Evolution of Hominin and Human Behaviour
Little remains known about the physical size of local sheep from southern Africa during the distant past. Early Venda speakers settled in the region during the middle of the second millennium AD, and an early site associated with them,... more
Little remains known about the physical size of local sheep from southern Africa during
the distant past. Early Venda speakers settled in the region during the middle of
the second millennium AD, and an early site associated with them, Mutokolwe B,
yielded 11 complete metapodia of sheep. This is the largest find of this nature in the
southern African region for farming communities. The fauna from Mutokolwe B dates
to between AD 1450 and 1550. Measurements of archeological sheep bones can
help tease apart questions of breed development and socio-economic organization in
the past. We used these metapodials to calculate the shoulder height of sheep. Sheep
from Mutokolwe B ranged between 61.69 and 71.17 cm in shoulder size (average
66.28 cm), which is similar to other local sheep breeds such as the Nguni found in
South Africa. In addition, the size of the sheep from Mutokolwe B falls within the variation
of modern sheep found in southern and Eastern Africa.
the distant past. Early Venda speakers settled in the region during the middle of
the second millennium AD, and an early site associated with them, Mutokolwe B,
yielded 11 complete metapodia of sheep. This is the largest find of this nature in the
southern African region for farming communities. The fauna from Mutokolwe B dates
to between AD 1450 and 1550. Measurements of archeological sheep bones can
help tease apart questions of breed development and socio-economic organization in
the past. We used these metapodials to calculate the shoulder height of sheep. Sheep
from Mutokolwe B ranged between 61.69 and 71.17 cm in shoulder size (average
66.28 cm), which is similar to other local sheep breeds such as the Nguni found in
South Africa. In addition, the size of the sheep from Mutokolwe B falls within the variation
of modern sheep found in southern and Eastern Africa.
Research Interests: Zooarchaeology, Ethnography, Environmental History, Archaeozoology, South Africa (History), and 12 moreSheep Behaviour, Iron Age (Archaeology), Animal domestication, African Archaeology, Animal Husbandry and Livestock, Sheep, Southern African archaeology, Vendas, Ritual Feasting, Osteometry, African Rock Art, and Sheep and goat breeding and improvement
Large faunal assemblages remain a concern in zooarchaeology. Without sufficiently large assemblages, interpretations about the past are less secure. The number of potential taxa in an assemblage is related to various factors such as the... more
Large faunal assemblages remain a concern in zooarchaeology. Without sufficiently large assemblages, interpretations about the past are less secure. The number of potential taxa in an assemblage is related to various factors such as the number of species found in an ecological zone, economic activities (hunting vs. farming) and taphonomy. In South Africa, no attempt has been made to determine what constitutes a sufficiently representative assemblage size, yet animal remains are frequently utilised to infer aspects of human behaviour during the past. We use faunal assemblages analysed using a standardised method, and we plot the number of taxa against the number of identified specimens (NISP). This way, we are able to determine the asymptote point of a faunal assemblage. Our initial study suggest that for subsamples, specifically those containing only large mammal remains, the asymptote is reached nearing 1000 NISP, whereas for those assemblages containing a full range of vertebrates and invertebrates, the asymptote is reached when the NISP nears 2000. The assemblages used are from different ecological zones and vastly different time periods, and each has its own taphonomic history. As a result, these asymptote points should not be considered as adequate samples for every faunal assemblage in South Africa. Instead, we advocate that zooarchaeologists analyse the largest possible assemblage to ensure more reliable interpretations are made from faunal remains. In many instances, only smaller assemblages are available; this is often beyond the control of the zooarchaeologist. Nevertheless, our data suggest that often, assemblages are adequate in size for archaeological sites as a whole; however, when comparisons are attempted between layers, occupational phases or spaces at a site, assemblage sizes are often severely reduced, requiring caution when making inferences about the past.
Research Interests: Paleobiology, Archaeology, Paleontology, Zooarchaeology, African History, and 13 moreArchaeozoology, Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), Taphonomy, Social zooarchaeology, Statistical Methods in Archaeology, Quaternary palaeontology, Middle Paleolithic, Stone Age Archaeology, African Archaeology, Paleolithic Archaeology, Quantitative ecology, Sample Size, and South African Archaeology
Khoekhoe pastoralists living in Gobabeb, in the arid Kuiseb River Valley of central-western Namibia, keep goats (Capra hircus). Several decades ago, palaeontologist C.K. Brain collected modern skeletal remains of goats from these... more
Khoekhoe pastoralists living in Gobabeb, in the arid Kuiseb River Valley of central-western Namibia, keep goats (Capra hircus). Several decades ago, palaeontologist C.K. Brain collected modern skeletal remains of goats from these villages. The goats were butchered using pocketknives with metal blades. We investigated the frequency of butchery marks on a sub-sam- ple of this collection, representing 60% of the total assemblage. Most specimens in the collection are weathered. Moreover, most goat specimens from Gobabeb lack butchery evidence and even the use of magnification only marginally increased this number. We compared our results with the frequency of butchery marks documented from Early and Middle Iron Age samples from South Africa, a time when sheep dominated faunal assemblages and were slaughtered using metal knives. The frequency of specimens with butchery marks in the goat sample from Gobabeb is higher than that recorded for the Early and Middle Iron Age samples. The higher...
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology, Ethnography, Social and Cultural Anthropology, and 15 moreAfrican History, Archaeozoology, Indigenous Knowledge, Arid environments, Taphonomy, Social zooarchaeology, African Archaeology, Southern African archaeology, Namibia, Namibian Archaeology, Actualistic Studies in Taphonomy, Namibian Studies, Bone Preservation, History of Butchering, and African Iron Age
In southern Africa, the Middle Stone Age (MSA), spanning more than 200,000 years, is a critical time period, in which Homo sapiens first appears. MSA sites located in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa have yielded... more
In southern Africa, the Middle Stone Age (MSA), spanning more than 200,000 years, is a critical time period, in which Homo sapiens first appears. MSA sites located in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa have yielded extensive faunal assemblages accumulated by anatomically modern humans. Many of these faunal assemblages include evidence of rhinoceros. To investigate how rhinoceros were potentially hunted/scavenged, we compare the representation of rhinoceros with that of large bovids and zebras in these faunal assemblages across seven sites in the region. All sites contain individual specimens of rhinoceros; however most faunal assemblages yielded only a few isolated specimens (201 specimens in total, representing 5% of the total sample). Similarly low representation was found for elephant and hippopotamus. In total, 60% of all the remains of rhinoceros accumulated during the MSA were found at a single site, Die Kelders. This indicates that people rarely brought ba...
Research Interests: Geography, African Studies, African History, Archaeozoology, Taphonomy, and 15 moreArchaeology of Hunting, Bushmeat Hunting, Africana Studies, Middle Palaeolithic, Middle Paleolithic, African Archaeology, Elephants, Kruger National Park, Threatened Species Conservation, Southern African archaeology, Rhinoceros, Threatened species and ecosystems, CAPE, Fynbos, and Hunter Gatherer Archaeology
FIG. 3. — Excavations of Mutokolwe (from Fish [2000:74]; used with permission from the University of the Witwatersrand): A-E, slope of the topography; T1-T8, various testpits.
Research Interests:
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The large mammal remains from the c. 100 ka layers of theM3phase at Blombos Cave in the southern Cape, are reported. A wide range of mammal taxa are present, dominated by small game animals, including rock hyrax, Cape dune molerat,... more
The large mammal remains from the c. 100 ka layers of theM3phase at Blombos Cave in the southern Cape, are reported. A wide range of mammal taxa are present, dominated by small game animals, including rock hyrax, Cape dune molerat, steenbok/grysbok and Cape fur seal. These taxa also dominate other important Middle Stone Age sites on the southern and western coast of theWestern Cape of South Africa. There is sufficient evidence that most of the mammals, including rock hyrax and Cape dune molerat, were collected by humans. The fauna suggests an open and rocky environment, as well as moist conditions.
Research Interests: Sociology, Geography, Archaeology, Geology, Zooarchaeology, and 13 moreArchaeozoology, Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), Taphonomy, Archaeology of Hunting, Middle Palaeolithic, Cave, Stone Age Archaeology, African Archaeology, Southern African archaeology, Modern human behaviour, Stone Age, Rock Hyrax, and Blombos Cave
This paper reports the analysis of the faunal remains recovered from re-excavation of Holocene Later Stone Age deposits at Moshebi’s Shelter, Lesotho. The assemblage includes a range of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and... more
This paper reports the analysis of the faunal remains recovered from re-excavation of Holocene Later Stone Age deposits at Moshebi’s Shelter, Lesotho. The assemblage includes a range of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and molluscs, but no domestic livestock. Some of the most common taxa, notably mole rats and vlei rats, are likely to be natural intrusions, but most of the others were probably hunted by the site’s hunter-gatherer occupants, with an emphasis on small- and medium-sized antelope and rock hyrax. Overall, the animals present reflect an open grassland environment with wooded microhabitats available in nearby valleys. Of the species identified, zebra was not observed in highland Lesotho in the nineteenth century, but is known there earlier in the Holocene. Bushpig, on the other hand, either suggests an enhanced presence of woodland or thicket vegetation relative to today, or contacts with communities living downslope of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Escarpment in Kw...
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Rock Art (Archaeology), African History, and 13 moreArchaeozoology, Paleoenvironment, Lesotho, African Archaeology, Holocene, Southern African archaeology, Radiocarbon Dating, Fauna, Bushmen, Drakensberg, Southern African rock art archaeology, Later Stone Age Hunting Technologies, and Later Stone Age archaeology
During the Middle Stone Age (MSA), hominins occupied a number of cave sites in southern Africa. Faunal remains of large mammals are commonly found at these MSA sites. Additionally, a number of faunal accumulations have been excavated that... more
During the Middle Stone Age (MSA), hominins occupied a number of cave sites in southern Africa. Faunal remains of large mammals are commonly found at these MSA sites. Additionally, a number of faunal accumulations have been excavated that were collected by carnivores such as leopards and hyenas. Here we use the ratios of animal remains from MSA sites in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa to investigate the contribution of specimens accumulated by carnivores versus hominins. In particular, we calculate the carnivore – ungulate, leopard, leopard – hyena, Raphicerus and hyrax indices. We also calculate a Modified Raphicerus index. Our results suggest that two of these ratios, namely the carnivore – ungulate and leopard indices are useful to demonstrate differences between carnivore and anthropogenic accumulations. High values of the carnivore – ungulate ratio indicate samples accumulated by hyenas, whereas those assemblages with high values of the leopard index, poi...
Research Interests: Geography, Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Archaeozoology, Middle Stone Age (Archaeology), and 14 moreTaphonomy, Social zooarchaeology, Paleolithic Europe, Pleistocene, Middle Palaeolithic, Pleistocene mammals, Quaternary environments, African Archaeology, Vertebrate taphonomy, Paleolithic Archaeology, Wildlife Management, South Africa Archaeology, leopard in the Caucasus, and Elsevier
Animals are often attracted to the cultivated gardens of farmers, who would hunt these pests to protect their crops from damage. This is known as garden hunting. Since the concept of garden hunting was first described more than three... more
Animals are often attracted to the cultivated gardens of farmers, who would hunt these pests to protect their crops from damage. This is known as garden hunting. Since the concept of garden hunting was first described more than three decades ago, a number of anthropological studies have been undertaken in different parts of the world on hunting practices of farmers in their fields. Ethnographies from southern Africa also indicate that Bantu-speaking farmers spend a considerable amount of time and energy protecting their gardens from small, medium and even large animals. Archaeologists have also applied the concept of garden hunting to faunal samples in various parts of the world, but not yet in southern Africa. In an effort to highlight the potential archaeological significance of garden hunting in Africa, we investigate faunas from the Limpopo Valley and surrounding regions. While we could not find any conclusive evidence for garden hunting, based on circumstantial evidence we none...
Research Interests: Geography, Ethnography, Archaeozoology, Quantification, Cultural Anthropology, and 15 moreSocial zooarchaeology, Archaeology of Hunting, Faunal Analysis, Small Mammals, African ethnography, African Archaeology, Anthropology Southern Africa, Mapungubwe, Ethnography Research methodology, South African Archaeology, South African History, Garden Hunting, Greater Mapungubwe Landscape, Minimum Number of Individuals, and Social Archaeozoology
In contrast to a rich record of Later Stone Age occupation across the Pleistocene/Holocene transition, previous research has struggled to identify in situ evidence of hunter-gatherer presence between c. 8200 BP and the second millennium... more
In contrast to a rich record of Later Stone Age occupation across the Pleistocene/Holocene transition, previous research has struggled to identify in situ evidence of hunter-gatherer presence between c. 8200 BP and the second millennium AD on the Lesotho side of the Caledon River. Fieldwork undertaken ahead of the commissioning of the Metolong Dam on Lesotho's Phuthiatsana River, the Caledon's largest tributary, has afforded a means of re-addressing this question. This paper reports the excavation of post-8200 BP assemblages at four sites within the dam's catchment: Fateng Tsa Pholo, Litsoetse, Ntloana Tšoana, and Ha Makotoko. Together with AMS radiocarbon dates for fine-line Bushman (San) rock paintings within the same area, these assemblages now establish that hunter-gatherers did visit the Metolong stretch of the Phuthiatsana in both the mid-Holocene and—much more compellingly—during the last 1000 years. While agropastoralist settlements may have helped attract hunter-gatherers into the area in recent centuries, a clear contrast persists between the settlement records of the Lesotho and South African sides of the Caledon. A dynamic geomorphology able to erode and deposit substantial quantities of sediment within relatively brief periods of time in ways that filled, hid, or cleaned out rockshelters may help explain the continuing paucity of Holocene hunter-gatherer archaeology in the Phuthiatsana Valley between 8200 and 1000 BP.
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Bushman Rock Shelter (BRS) contains thick deposits with Middle Stone Age (MSA) fauna. The shelter was excavated between 1965 and 1975, and large quantities of fauna were retrieved; the analysis of these is presented here for the first... more
Bushman Rock Shelter (BRS) contains thick deposits with Middle Stone Age (MSA) fauna. The shelter was excavated between 1965 and 1975, and large quantities of fauna were retrieved; the analysis of these is presented here for the first time. Little is known about the MSA component of BRS, despite being one of the earliest well-excavated MSA sites in the interior of South Africa. The dating of BRS was done before modern techniques were available. Nevertheless, radiocarbon dates and preliminary observations regarding lithics indicate that the deposits of the shelter are of great antiquity. The lithics suggest that BRS has artefacts dating to the MSA 1 (possibly), MSA 2 and MSA 3. This suggests that some of the deposits from BRS predate 100 000 BP. The fauna from BRS shows that people selected large Bovidae as prey above medium and small antelope. Monitor lizard and tortoise remains are common. Burnt fish specimens suggest that these were caught and eaten. Large quantities of the giant ...
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Research Interests: Ethology, Hominin Diet, Evolutionary Ecology, Australopithecus, Hominin evolution, and 15 moreBaboons, African Lions, Hominin Fossils, Chacma baboon, Early Australopithecines, Cradle of Humankind, Impala, Early Hominin Migrations and Dispersals, Hominid Evolution, Leopard, Australopithecus africanus, Hominid dispersals, Evolution of Hominin and Human Behaviour, Homo naledi, and Aepyceros melampus
Research Interests: Native American Studies, Archaeology, Archaeozoology, North American archaeology, Southwestern Archaeology, and 14 moreSocial zooarchaeology, Domestication (Zooarchaeology), Anthropology of Hunting, Archaeology of Hunting, Ritual Zooarchaeology, Ancestral Pueblo (Archaeology), Native American Anthropology, Native American history, Meleagris gallopavo, Ritual Feasting, Kiva, Chaco Canyon, Anasazi, and Rabbits
Cooper’s D is a fossil locality in the Bloubank Valley close to other important sites such as Sterkfontein and Kromdraai in Gauteng, South Africa. The fossil deposits of Cooper’s D date to 1.38 ± 0.11 Ma. Hominins like Paranthropus... more
Cooper’s D is a fossil locality in the Bloubank Valley close to other important sites such as Sterkfontein and Kromdraai in Gauteng, South Africa. The fossil deposits of Cooper’s D date to 1.38 ± 0.11 Ma. Hominins like Paranthropus robustus and early Homo have been recovered from Cooper’s Cave. We report here on the Equidae remains. Our sample contains specimens from the extinct Equus capensis, and a specimen which represents an extinct hipparion Eurygnathohippus cf. cornelianus. This particular specimen was previously identified as plains zebra (Equus quagga). The contribution of Equidae to the total fossil assemblage of Cooper’s D is relatively low, and these remains were likely accumulated by various predators such as spotted and brown hyenas and leopards. The Equidae, as well as the other fauna from Cooper’s D supports the existence of grassland, wooded and water components in the vicinity of the site.
Research Interests: Geography, Paleontology, Animal Behavior, Archaeozoology, Paleoenvironment, and 13 moreEthnology, Taphonomy, Vertebrate Paleontology, Medicine, Plio-Pleistocene Evolution, Quaternary palaeontology, Quaternary environments, Sterkfontein, Hipparion, Equidae, Paleozoology, Equus, and Cradle of Humankind
Research Interests: Geography, Indigenous Studies, Ethnography, African History, Archaeozoology, and 15 moreSouth African history, Animal domestication, African ethnography, African Archaeology, Anthropology Southern Africa, Osteometry, Cattle, University of Venda, African Iron Age, Farming in South Africa, South African History, Bos Taurus, South African Iron Age, Elsevier, and Eastern African Archaeology
Excavations during November 2013 in the Rising Star Cave, South Africa uncovered over 1550 specimens of a new hominin, Homo naledi. A total of four modern bird bones were collected from the surface of the Dinaledi Chamber during the first... more
Excavations during November 2013 in the Rising Star Cave, South Africa uncovered over 1550 specimens of a new hominin, Homo naledi. A total of four modern bird bones were collected from the surface of the Dinaledi Chamber during the first phase of the initial excavations. While mentioned in the geological and taphonomic descriptions, the presumably modern or sub-modern bird remains have not been formally identified or described until now. Here we identify these remains as indistinguishable from those of a modern barn owl (Tyto alba). Tyto alba is today common to the region and known to contribute microfaunal remains at many Plio-Pleistocene sites in the Cradle of Humankind. Based on the greatest length measurement and breadth of the proximal articulation of the specimen, it is suggested that the owl from the Dinaledi Chamber is more similar to that of females of the species, despite the small sample sizes available for comparison. It is unclear how the remains of this female owl cam...
Research Interests: Geography, Human Evolution, Archaeozoology, Palaeoanthropology, Palaeontology, and 15 moreMultidisciplinary, Pleistocene, Evolution and Human Behavior, Cave, African Archaeology, Hominin evolution, Faunal Remains, Barn Owl, Osteometry, South African Archaeology, Birds Ecology, Barn, Cradle of Humankind, Raptors and owls, and Homo naledi
Abstract Sheep and goats have been kept by Bantu-speaking farmers since their arrival during the Early Iron Age in southern Africa. Published samples dating from the Early, Middle and Late Iron Ages are used in this paper to investigate... more
Abstract Sheep and goats have been kept by Bantu-speaking farmers since their arrival during the Early Iron Age in southern Africa. Published samples dating from the Early, Middle and Late Iron Ages are used in this paper to investigate the exploitation of these two domestic animals. A Caprine Index is introduced to measure the ratio of sheep and goats in samples. In almost all cases, samples from the entire Iron Age are dominated by sheep, although the representation of goats increases slightly towards the Middle and Late Iron Age. Three exceptions to the pattern exist in the region, namely Mapungubwe Hill (Middle Iron Age), Nyanga and Hill X (Late Iron Age). At Mapungubwe Hill, the possibility exist that the dominance of goats over sheep is a factor of identification limitations when the original study was conducted in the late 1970s. However, a study is currently underway to re-analyse the fauna from this site. By the middle of the 20th century, goats are more common than sheep under Bantu-speaking farmers in South Africa, a pattern that may be attributed to social, economic, political and/or environmental changes.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Geology, Historical Archaeology, Zooarchaeology, Ethnography, and 15 moreArchaeozoology, Social zooarchaeology, South African history, Quaternary, Animal domestication, African Archaeology, Sheep, Anthropology Southern Africa, Goats, Mapungubwe, African Iron Age, South African historical archaeology, Farming in South Africa, South African History, and South African Iron Age
Ancestral Pueblo people of the Mesa Verde region became increasingly dependent on turkey as a protein source during the Pueblo III period, but the ways in which these flocks were managed is not fully understood. In this study we analyze... more
Ancestral Pueblo people of the Mesa Verde region became increasingly dependent on turkey as a protein source during the Pueblo III period, but the ways in which these flocks were managed is not fully understood. In this study we analyze osteometric data collected from turkey bones from two sites, Albert Porter Pueblo and Sand Canyon Pueblo, to better understand the impact of turkey husbandry for turkey populations. The sites date from A.D. 1100 to 1280, and encompass the period of intensified turkey husbandry. These data allow us to trace biological impacts of the human-turkey relationship through time.