A microcontextual investigation of Later Stone Age ash deposits and associated interment of human remains at Faraoskop Rock Shelter, South Africa

A microcontextual investigation of Later Stone Age ash deposits at Faraoskop Rock Shelter, South Africa, reveals distinct patterns of human activity and environmental shifts. The study identifies a break in site occupation between Pleistocene and Holocene deposits, with Holocene ash deposits indicating continuous hearth use at a central location, marked by increasing fire intensity over time. Phytolith analysis further suggests the repeated use of plant bedding features, particularly eudicots, as living surfaces around fires. The findings also point to an environmental transition from grassland regimes during the Pleistocene to a shrubbier context in the Holocene. While the direct interment context of human remains was not available for study, the research provides valuable insights into site use patterns and paleoenvironmental conditions during this period.

Stahlschmidt, M. C., Power, R. C., Heinrich, S., Poggenpoel, C., & Parkington, J. (2025). A microcontextual investigation of Later Stone Age ash deposits and associated interment of human remains at Faraoskop Rock Shelter, South Africa. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-02131-0