Africa Praehistorica 11, Köln 1998
Ralf Vogelsang:
MIDDLE-STONE-AGE-FUNDSTELLEN IN SÜDWEST-NAMIBIA


- 351 pp.
- 247 line illustrations
- 107 bw. photographs
- 3 colour photographs
- 23 tables
- 82 plates
- English and French summaries
- hardcover, half linen-bound, size 21 x 28 cm


ISBN 3-927688-17-7
Recommended price: 20,00 EUR


Since the earliest appearance of modern Homo sapiens is assumed in the Middle Stone Age, this particular period is of great significance in the prehistoric development of the whole of southern Africa. This is all the more endorsed by the sensational discovery of painted slabs at the site “Apollo 11” in the southern part of Namibia. At an age of 27,000 years they are the oldest works of art in Africa and are amongst the earliest art world-wide. This thesis presents, for the first time, the archaeological context of these finds, and correlates them with the historico-cultural context of the other Middle Stone Age sites of the region.
In the last decades research on the Middle Stone Age has been relatively neglected. Wolfgang E. Wendt is the first to have carried out extensive excavations in Namibia. In course of his work Middle Stone Age layers were found at nine sites, although they were not finally analysed and published. These sites make up the basis of this publication by Ralf Vogelsang. In addition, all other known Middle Stone Age sites of the south-western part of Namibia are compiled in this publication. With regard to the few multi-sequenced sites “Apollo 11”, “Pockenbank” and “Bremen 1C” it has been possible to formulate a chronological framework, permitting the cultural classification of the other excavated assemblages. The five elaborated Middle Stone Age complexes point out that, irrespective of the local variability of the assemblages, there are changes of the stone artefact material reflecting superior trends. Therefore, this publication bridges and completes an incomplete stage of the Old Stone Age research in southern Africa. It also shows on the other hand the urgent need for further research in the surrounding regions, especially in the northern parts of Namibia.