Excavations at Geduld in northern Namibia have produced a ceramic sequence beginning 2000 years ago. They also indicate the first appearance of domestic stock by at least 1800 BP. Although ostrich eggshell beads show an increase in...
moreExcavations at Geduld in northern Namibia have produced
a ceramic sequence beginning 2000 years ago. They also
indicate the first appearance of domestic stock by at least
1800 BP. Although ostrich eggshell beads show an increase
in size with the appearance of the relatively sophisticated
ceramics and larger beads have been suggested as
indicators of herding societies, there is no change in stone
tool types across the ceramic threshold. This may indicate
that, rather than dealing with pastoralists at Geduld, the
former occupants of the site were hunters on the periphery
of a pastoralist society which has yet to be identified in
northern Namibia c. 1800 BP and from whom pottery and
stock were obtained. The extreme aridity of the area has
preserved many plant species, some of which were eaten,
others used for medicinal purposes. Appended are analyses
of iron objects, one from a level dated c. 1790 BP, and
ostrich eggshell beads.
