Abstract
This paper presents the histological characterisation of a selection of worked bone artefacts from
Middle Stone Age layers at Sibudu cave, South Africa. Histographic rendering is achieved using highresolution
Computed Tomography, which is non‐destructive and facilitates three‐dimensional
histologic analysis. Excellent congruency in image quality was achieved with previous studies using
this method. The results show that most of the artefact fragments contain mostly primary lamellar
tissue, which is the bone tissue best adapted to withstand impact stresses. This indicates that bone
with greater elastic properties was chosen. Histological characterisation allows the identification of
animal taxa. Based on the sample analysed in this paper, Perissodactyla bone was used
predominantly in the older layers at the site. Artiodactyla are represented throughout but appear far
more frequently in the later (post‐Howiesons Poort onwards) layers. Some of the Artiodactyla
specimens have high proportions of Haversian tissue, reducing elasticity. The higher percentages of
Haversian tissue in the post‐Howiesons Poort artefacts relative to Holocene examples from southern
Africa suggests that people may have started experimenting with bone from different animal taxa at
this time and had not yet learned to eliminate the mechanically weaker secondary tissue. Apart from
mechanical considerations, possible cultural constraints governing raw material selection is also
explored.