ETD Collection

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/104


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Author: search.filters.author.Stratford, Dominic Justin

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    The underground central deposits of the Sterkfontein Caves, South Africa
    (2012-05-21) Stratford, Dominic Justin
    Work on Sterkfontein cave deposits has generally focussed on clarifying the life histories of interned hominin remains. Less attention has been paid to the depositional context of the fossils and the specific stratigraphic processes involved in the formation of deposits, and their interaction within the cave system. Also lacking is an understanding of the complex processes influencing the distribution and integrity of the faunal and artefact assemblages. This research applied a broad-spectrum multidisciplinary approach to investigate a previously unexamined area of the caves with a particularly rich depositional history. The underground central deposits represent several infills of important fossil and artefact-bearing sediments. These sediments have accumulated into one of the deepest central areas of the Sterkfontein cave system creating a confluence area with a complex formation history. Three excavations (STK-MH1, STK-MH2 and STK-EC1) uncovered seven deposits. These deposits document a depositional history ranging from the earliest introduction of allogenic sediments (STK-MH1 T4), to the commercial exploitation of the caves through mining and tourism (STK-MH1 T1, STK-MH2). The stratigraphic sequence for the underground central deposits exhibits multiple formation processes including deposition (through numerous processes), erosion, collapse, diagenetic modification, deformation and displacement. The detailed stratigraphic history of these deposits was elucidated utilising sedimentological, fabric, stratigraphic, taphonomic and taxonomic analyses. As well as deciphering the complex formation history of this important area, this research attempted to identify the influence of cave sedimentation processes on faunal distribution and assemblage integrity. Faunal assemblages are prone to extensive modification caused by sedimentation and re-sedimentation processes mixing and distributing deposits through the caves. Varying sedimentological properties within fossil-bearing sediment gravity flows can cause the destruction of primary context taphonomic evidence, the concentration of fossils representing multiple stratigraphically distinct facies, and deposit-wide fossil distributions based on element size and shape. In addition to these processes, it was found that different skeletal elements change shape in different ways through breakage, thereby changing the specific mobility of the fossils and their potential distribution through the sediment body. Not identifying or not accounting for these post-depositional processes can lead to non-representative sampling, and to the misinterpretation of taphonomic and taxonomic data.
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    A study of newly discovered lithics from earlier Stone Age deposits at Sterkfontein, Gauteng province, South Africa
    (2009-04-09T10:32:16Z) Stratford, Dominic Justin
    The need to expand the current lithic Plio-Pleistocene assemblages at Sterkfontein and to understand how these assemblages have been incorporated into the cave deposits is of key importance to archaeological research on the Oldowan and Early Acheulean of South Africa. The greater the archaeological sample size the more accurately inferences can be made regarding the behaviour and technological practices of local hominid groups. An accurate understanding of depositional processes influencing these assemblages allows inferences to be made regarding the post-depositional movement of elements within the assemblage. The first objective of this research is to expand the assemblages representing the earliest stone tool technologies found at Sterkfontein. The first assemblage researched here is the Dump 21 collection, a small number of artefacts found recently just south of the Sterkfontein Member 5 West breccia and the former Extension Site of John Robinson. This material had been removed from a cave deposit by lime miners and dumped where it was found. This dump may have been created up to a century ago and was concealed by vegetation. The technological attributes exhibited on the cores and flakes of Dump 21 were compared to the current Sterkfontein Early Acheulean of Member 5 West. Parallel patterns in core types and flaking patterns, as well as raw material utilisation, suggest analogous technological intention and therefore identical depositional origins. The second assemblage analysed here was excavated from the Name Chamber and yielded large quantities of quartz dominated small flaking debris. Comparisons of raw material profiles and technological attributes of artefacts <20mm in size indicate the Name Chamber artefacts originated within the Oldowan assemblage, with a large proportion of <10mm and some <20mm material being winnowed out of the Member 5 East Oldowan breccia at some stage. The second objective of this research was to more clearly understand the processes involved in the formation of the Name Chamber deposit, examination of the geology and stratigraphy of the Name Chamber was undertaken. Three depositional events have been isolated. The first deposit filled the existing Sterkfontein chambers prior to the opening of the caves to the surface. The second and third deposits have entered the Name Chamber through a shaft that appears to articulate with the deepest portions of the Member 5 East area of the site, forming fauna-rich talus slopes within the chamber. The changing internal structure of this shaft has influenced the size profile and destination of the sediments accumulated in the three current talus deposits fed by the shaft.