Abstract
Equus Cave, Buxton-Norlim Limeworks, near Taung, North West
Province, South Africa, was first excavated between 1978 and 1982.
While the site dates to the terminal Pleistocene and Holocene the
precise age of the different layers is debated, as is the technological
assignment of the deepest deposits, which are said to contain both Later
or Middle Stone Age elements. While the faunal assemblage and some
of the human remains have been published, the archaeology has never
been fully analysed or reported. New excavations in 2012 revealed
numerous artefacts including ochre, something not previously noted
for this site. Comparison of total lithic artefact counts versus faunal
NISPs and MNIs shows that the height of human occupation occurred
during the Holocene, with preliminary analysis of the >6000 lithic
assemblage indicating a dominance of notched artefacts, which,
coupled with the presence of 16 bone points, is characteristic of other
HoloceneWilton (Later Stone Age) sites in the region. The focus of this
paper is the 16 bone points, which include projectile points and
link-shafts, and how these items were manufactured and used. The
results provide one of the first detailed descriptions of Later Stone Age
bone tools, including rare specimens that are mostly complete or still
preserve the tips, making an important contribution to our limited
understanding of Later Stone Age bone tool technology.