Engraved Ostrich Eggshell Containers from the Middle Stone Age at Diepkloof Rock Shelter (South Africa): a 60 000 Year-old Graphic Tradition

Abstract

Diepkloof rock shelter is a large quartzitic sandstone shelter (250 m2) located around 200 km north of Cape Town (Western Cape). It overlooks the Verlorenvlei River at 14 km from its mouth on the edge of its current shore. Excavations conducted since 1999 have gradually exposed one of the most complete archaeological sequences of the Middle Stone Age in southern Africa. A section nearly 4 m deep shows for the first time a continuous sequence of Pre-Still Bay, Still Bay, Howiesons Poort and P...