First results of archaeological and palaeontological surveys in cave environments conducted in Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe

The Pleistocene (2.6 million years ago to 12.000 years ago) archaeological record is scarce in Zimbabwe, although it is a key period regarding hominin evolution, during which many species of the genus Homo evolved. During that time, various Palaeolithic techno-complexes occurred in Africa, leading to the emergence of numerous technological innovations like the Oldowan, Acheulean, Middle Stone Age and Late Stone Age industries. Our knowledge about Pleistocene hominin evolution in Africa is deduced from the studies of open-air archaeological and paleontological sites located along the East African Rift (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi) or from cave deposits in South Africa. Despite the effort of the scientific community, it is still difficult today to compare and link these two regions due to their dissimilarities in terms of resolution of dating, taphonomical and formation processes, bones and artefacts preservations for example. Here, we present the results of palaeontological and archaeological surveys conducted in Zimbabwe, in the NeMakonde (Lomagundi) and Hurungwe areas. We report the presence of bone breccias probably Pleistocene, the identification of two new rock art sites as well as numerous Late Iron Age archaeological sites.

archaeological survey · cave archaeology · cave environment · cave fauna · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology