Blombos Cave, Southern Cape, South Africa: Preliminary report on the 1992-1999 excavations of the Middle Stone Age Levels
Blombos Cave, Southern Cape, South Africa: Preliminary report on the 1992-1999 excavations of the Middle Stone Age Levels
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DOI：
10.1006/jasc.2000.0638
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发表时间：
2001-04-01
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
Watts, I
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Henshilwood, CS;Sealy, JC;Watts, I
布隆博斯洞穴 (BBC) 的晚期和中石器时代水平面是在 1992 年至 1999 年间的四个野外季节中进行挖掘的。在此，我们报告中石器时代 (MSA) 水平面的结果。由于断层、褶皱和剥落，MSA 层的埋藏学和沉积历史非常复杂。挖掘过程中的仔细观察有助于了解其中一些埋藏和遗址形成过程；微观地层分析，目前双面点，斯蒂尔湾工业的化石指导者。过去，将斯蒂尔湾置于 MSA 文化序列中一直存在问题，因为在原地很少发现斯蒂尔湾组合，而且之前的挖掘记录也没有充分记录。然而，根据文中讨论的区域数据，斯蒂尔湾可以可靠地定位在 65-70ka 的 Howiesons Poort 之前。片状石料在所有文物中所占比例最大，且修饰和起诉在斯蒂尔湾发现的细粒非本地材料的发生率最高。与其他 MSA 遗址相比，赭石组合的物质质量非常显着。在 MSA 环境中发现的不常见的是两块来自斯蒂尔湾阶段的赭石，上面刻有几何图案；一块刻意雕刻的骨头碎片；此外，还主要从斯蒂尔湾下方的一个阶段发现了 28 件成型和抛光的骨工具。布隆博斯洞穴是第一个与斯蒂尔湾相关的保存完好的动物遗骸被发现的地点，可以对人类生存行为和古环境重建提供独特的见解。大型鱼骨、海洋贝壳、海豹和海豚证明了水生资源的广泛开发，并且大量的陆生动物被猎杀和采集。发现的少数人类牙齿已严重磨损和损坏，因此形态现代性问题无法得到解决。 BBC 的发现是对南开普省其他 MSA 沿海地点的发现的有用补充，特别是 Klasies River (KR) 和 Die Kelders Cave 1 (DK1)，BBC 提供了对 MSA 阶段人类行为的深入见解，这一阶段从未进行过详细研究。
The Later- and Middle Stone Age levels at Blombos Cave (BBC) were excavated over four field seasons between 1992 and 1999. Here we report on the results from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) levels. The taphonomy and depositional history of the MSA levels is complex due to faulting, folding and spalling. Careful observations during excavation have assisted in understanding some of these taphonomic and site formation processes; microstratigraphic analysis, currently bifacial points, the fossile directeur of the Still Bay Industry. Placing the Still Bay within the MSA culture sequence has been problematic in the past because Still Bay assemblages are rarely found in situ and previous excavations were inadequately recorded. However with the regional data discussed in the text, the Still Bay can be securely placed before the Howiesons Poort dated at 65-70 ka. Flaked stone makes up the greatest proportion of all artefacts with the highest incidence of retouch and sue of fine grained, non-local materials found int he Still Bay levels. The ochre assemblage is remarkable for the mass of material compared to other MSA sites. Finds uncommon in an MSA context are two pieces of ochre from the Still Bay phase engraved with a geometric design; a fragment of deliberately engraved bone; also, 28 shaped and polished bone tools recovered mainly from a phase just below the Still Bay. Blombos Cave is the first site where well preserved faunal remains have been recovered in association with the Still Bay allowing for unique insights into human subsistence behaviour and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Large fish bones , marine shells, seals and dolphins attest to extensive exploitation of aquatic resources and a wide range of terrestrial animals were hunted and gathered. The few human teeth recovered are heavily worn and damaged thus the issue of morphological modernity cannot be addressed. The BBC findings are a useful adjunct to findings from other MSA coastal sites in the southern Cape, especially Klasies River (KR) and Die Kelders Cave 1 (DK1) uniquely, BBC provides insights into human behaviour during a phase of the MSA never before studies in detail.