Sibhudu

Sibhudu Cave is a large rock shelter inland of the coast north of Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal. It contains an Iron Age deposit dating between 1000 and 500 years ago, probably laid down by ritual specialists such as doctors (herbalists) or rainmakers. Beneath this upper level are deep Middle Stone Age deposits dating between 35,000 and at least 100,000 years ago. Dry conditions in the shelter result in remarkable preservation of bone and plant remains. Research at Sibhudu, first by Aron Mazel of Natal Museum, then by Lyn Wadley of the University of the Witwatersrand, and now by Nick Conard of Tübingen University, has contributed significantly to our understanding of ancient human technology and the thought patterns that generated it. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibudu_Cave