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Archived Articles

New Encyclopaedia Entry by Dr Ghilraen Laue

The second edition of the Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, edited by Claire Smith, is in the process of being published. Dr Ghilraen Laue, Museum Human Sciences Department, contributed an article titled Rock Art in Southern Africa, Regional Difference. Laue investigates the often ignored topic of regional difference in southern African Rock Art, concentrating on differences between the art in Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains and the southern and Western Cape. This compendium will be available both online and as a printed version.

eland

 Polychrome eland from the Malot-Drakensberg, north Eastern Cape Province, South Africa (Photo credit: Rock Art Research Institute).

 

western Cape

Bichrome eland from the Western Cape Province, South Africa (Photo credit: Rock Art Research Institute).

Chemists, druggists, and theatrics: a new donation for the KwaZulu-Natal Museum  Mr. Coyne holding one of the items donated: the ‘Dispensing Dept’ si...

A visit to Patricia Vinnicombe’s childhood home "My main aim has been to demonstrate that the Bushman rock paintings are concerned not so much with t...

Thomas Niel Huffman 17 July 1944 – 30 March 2022 Thomas (Tom) Huffman, professor emeritus of archaeology at Wits University, died yesterday at hom...

KZNM at the Southern African Mountain conference!

KZNM at the Southern African Mountain conference! Last week was held the first Southern African Mountain Conference, ground-breaking in its attempt t...

Continued Fieldwork in the Groot Winterhoek Mountains, Eastern Cape Province In late 2021 Dr Ghilraen Laue of the Human Sciences Department at the KZ...

Birds, cloves and baskets: a new donation!

Birds, cloves and baskets A new donation! The Human Sciences Department of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum is excited to announce the donation of 160 new i...

Visiting Researcher: Dr Lourenço Pinto

Visiting Researcher: Dr Lourenço Pinto The Human Sciences Department, KwaZulu-Natal Museum, welcomes visiting researcher Dr Lourenço Pinto. Dr Pint...

Visiting Researcher from Yale University

THE KWAZULU-NATAL MUSEUM WELCOMES A VISITING RESEARCHER FROM YALE UNIVERSITY Kefilwe Rammutloa, a PhD candidate at Yale University, joined the Depa...

Hamba Kahle Ndabezitha

Hamba Kahle Ndabezitha Today, as we say farewell to King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, we remember him and the line of Zulu Kings who came befor...

Fieldwork in the Groot Winterhoek Mountains, Eastern Cape Province                                   Dr Ghilraen Laue of the Human...

Annual Intervention into the Human Sciences Collections

Annual Intervention into the Human Sciences Collections For the 2020 intervention into the Human Sciences (DHS) Collections, a specialist object cons...

New publications by Museum staff

New publications by Museum staff Last month the volume Perspectives on Differences in Rock Art, edited by Jan Magne Gjerde and Mari Strifeldt Arntz...

KwaZulu-Natal Museum sponsors prizes for Archaeology Student Development Conference (SDC) 2021 Kelita Shadrach, WITS PhD Candidate and SAASC secret...

KZN Museum Publishes a new book

KWAZULU-NATAL MUSEUM PUBLISHES NEW BOOK   The KwaZulu-Natal Museum is pleased to announce the publication Chronicles of the Seekoei River Bushmen an...

The printed version of the 2020 edition of Southern African Humanities is now available! Every year, the dedicated staff of the Department of Human...

Visiting Researcher from Yale University

THE KWAZULU-NATAL MUSEUM WELCOMES A VISITING RESEARCHER FROM YALE UNIVERSITY Kefilwe Rammutloa, a PhD candidate at Yale University, joined the Depa...

Visiting Researcher: Dr Lourenço Pinto

Visiting Researcher: Dr Lourenço Pinto The Human Sciences Department, KwaZulu-Natal Museum, welcomes visiting researcher Dr Lourenço Pinto. Dr Pint...

Hamba Kahle Ndabezitha

Hamba Kahle Ndabezitha Today, as we say farewell to King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, we remember him and the line of Zulu Kings who came befor...

Holding history in her hands

"Holding history in her hands" Today the Maritzburg Sun published an article about Chiara Singh, one of the interns in the Department of Human Scie...

The Department of Human Sciences Grows for 2021

THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SCIENCES GROWS FOR 2021 The Department of Human Sciences has seen a significant influx of volunteers, interns, and supervised...

Fieldwork in the Groot Winterhoek Mountains, Eastern Cape Province                                   Dr Ghilraen Laue of the Human...

2021 Promotional Calendar

Our 2021 calendars have become so popular and are being received well by the public. We now only have a limited number left. Be sure to come a...

Annual Intervention into the Human Sciences Collections

Annual Intervention into the Human Sciences Collections For the 2020 intervention into the Human Sciences (DHS) Collections, a specialist object cons...

Archival Work at the Killie Campbell Africana Library

Archival Work at the Killie Campbell Africana Library With the reopening of public institutions after the Covid-19 lockdown, Angela Ferreira of the A...

Further visits and recording of rock art sites

On Tuesday 06th October, Justine Wintjes and Ghilraen Laue of the Human Sciences Department, KwaZulu-Natal Museum and Jeremy Hollmann, Research Associ...

Money cowries, a transoceanic heritage

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘄𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲! Money cowries are tropical sea snails (Monetaria moneta). They have delicate lace-like bodies that are prot...

Outreach Education - Arbour Week

In response to our outreach program with  St. Nicholas Diocesan School  for Arbour Week, we are very pleased to be able to share with yo...

Arbour Week Competition Winners

𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲: 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 Owen Haarhoff Owen made a coral tree, his research, creativity and design wa...

Pop Up Exhibition

We may not be officially open to the public yet but there is always something new to see at the KZN Museum! Outside the Museum we have a 'pop up e...

KwaZulu-Natal Museum’s Research Journals Climb in Global Rankings   Dr Ghilraen Laue, deputy editor of Southern African Humanities and Dr Thembeka ...

Linda Davis Retirement

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗭𝗡 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀, 𝗠𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀. 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟵 𝗮...

Africa Month: Rock art of the Groot Winterhoek Mountains   𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵, 𝗞𝗭𝗡 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀. 𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯...

Africa Month: A Focus on Objects

𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵: 𝗔 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 During Africa Month, the KZN Museum celebrates the connections between KZN and the rest of the African continent. ...

Africa Month: A tale of Aprons

𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵: 𝗔 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘀 During Africa Month, KZN Museum celebrates its connections to other countries in the region and on the continent. We...

Working from home during the lockdown

WORKING FROM HOME DURING THE LOCKDOWN    Dr Ghilraen Laue, a Curator from our Human Sciences Department, shares her #lockdown experience with us:For...

Dismantling the Sisonke Gallery

Dismantling the Sisonke Gallery On 17 February 2020, Justine Wintjes, Mudzunga Munzhedzi and Dimakatso Tlhoaele from the Department of Human Scienc...

Human Sciences Curator awarded Thuthuka Funding

Human Sciences Curator awarded Thuthuka Funding Dr Ghilraen Laue, curator in the Human Sciences Department, has been awarded the sought-after Thuthuk...

Refreshing the Victorian Period Rooms

Refreshing the Victorian Period Rooms   Recent visitors to the Museum may have noticed real people in the Victorian period room displays supplemen...

New Encyclopaedia Entry by Dr Ghilraen Laue

New Encyclopaedia Entry by Dr Ghilraen Laue The second edition of the Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, edited by Claire Smith, is in the process o...

Volunteer wins prestigious bursary

Volunteer wins prestigious bursary Congratulations to Angela Ferreira, a volunteer in the Department of Human Sciences during 2019, on receiving the ...

Cooked Starchy Rhizomes in Africa 170 000 years ago

Talk by Chrissie Sievers on Saturday, February 15th at 10:30 am at the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, 237 Jabu Ndlovu Street, Pietermaritzburg Chrissie Siev...

Publication of New Edited Volume

Dr Gavin Whitelaw, Chief Curator in the Human Sciences Department, is a co-editor of a book on cognitive archaeology published by Routledge in early...

The latest volume of SA Humanities interdisciplinary journal, produced by the KwaZulu-Natal Museum, is now available online. Access to the online and ...

A Trip to the Archives

In December 2019, Dr Geoff Blundell and Troy Meyers visited Cape Town to undertake research in the National Archives Repository on the Khoisan peoples...

Field trip to the Quthing district of Lesotho

In November 2019, Justine Wintjes organized a field trip to the town of Moyeni in the Quthing district of Lesotho, with the participation of Ghilraen ...

South Africa is covered in stunning rock art. Most of this art was made by Khoisan communities and it includes engravings found on the boulders in the...

It is the job of every museum to grow its collections. In 2019, the KZN Museum purchased an important collection of items collected among the BaTonga ...

Happy New Year

Wishing you all everything of the best this new year! May it be a prosperous one!

Talk to Community at Wentworth, Durban

On Saturday 16 November 2019, Dr Geoff Blundell presented preliminary results of historical research on the Lochenberg family to descendants of the ...

The biennial SAMA conference was held at the Msunduzi Museum in Pietermaritzburg from 21 to 24 October, 2019. The conference topic this year was: The ...

The KZN Museum hosted a roundtable discussion on issues surrounding human remains housed in South African Museums and how best to deal with repatriati...

Archaeological Society talk at the Museum

Revisiting the Goodall archive: rock art as a site of enchantmentJustine Wintjes and Laura de HardeElizabeth Goodall née Elisabeth Mannsfeld (1891–197...

New display for Heritage Day

There is always something new to see at the KZN Museum - it's something that we pride ourselves on. This year for Heritage Day we have set up a tempor...

Collections Assessment Study

In July, 2019, Claire Dean of Dean & Associates visited KZNM and conducted a needs assessment of the collections within both the Natural (DNS) and the...

The Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists hosted its biennial conference in Kimberley in July 2019. The conference was held at t...

Congratulations Dr Laue

The KZN Museum Council, Management and staff offer their heartiest congratulations to Dr Ghilraen Laue on obtaining her PhD! Ghilraen is a Curator in ...

New Temporary Exhibition

A new temporary photo exhibition launches at the KZN Museum this weekend - on rural resistance and struggles for land in KwaZulu-Natal, hosted by the ...

South African Rock Art: A brief introduction

There will be a talk  "South African Rock Art: A brief introduction" by Jeremy Hollmann at the KZN Museum on on Saturday, June 15th at 10:30 am.   Ab...

Archaeology Outreach Activities

In April, Ghilraen Laue (Human Sciences Department) and Samukelisiwe Ngubane (Education Department) visited St Martin’s Pre-primary in Durban to educa...

Archaeology Student Development Workshop

KZN Museum Curator, Ghilrean Laue, recently attended a Student Development Workshop held in Lesotho (5-11 December 2018). This workshop was mainly for...

The KZN Museum Human Science department recently hosted a visiting researcher, Dr Gerrit Dusseldorp and a team from the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden...

The KwaZulu-Natal Museum announces the publication of Garth Sampson and Dennis Neville's new book, "The world of the Seekoei River Bushmen: habitat an...

Celebrating Women in Science

Celebrating Women in Science The KZN Museum celebrated Women’s Day on Wednesday 08 August. The event celebrated Women in Science. The two guest spe...

National Science Week Day 3

National Science Week Day 3 National Science Week Day 3 at the KZN Museum was all about making science fun. Learners spent the morning with Fun Sci...

National Science Week Day 2

National Science Week Day 2 NSW2018# Day 2 was so much of fun. The theme was "telling a story with waste". The grade 10 and 11 learners interacted ...

National Science Week NSW2018#

National Science Week NSW2018# The KZN Museum hosted National Science Week for the first time this year. Learners who visited the Museum in this we...

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