Stone Age Hunters: Researchers Reveal Mobility in the Mgwayiza Valley!

Stone Age Hunters: Researchers Reveal Mobility in the Mgwayiza Valley!

An international research team University of Tübingen and the Senckenberg Society for Natural Research examined the mobility of Stone Age hunters and gatherers in southern Africa. The focus is on the regions in the Mgwayiza Valley in Eswatini, on the borders with South Africa and Mozambique. The researchers analyzed processed stone tools from sites up to 40,000 years old and drew conclusions about the movements of early humans.

The team, led by Dr. Gregor D. Bader, published his results in the Journal of Archaeological Science. The study includes a variety of sites and raw material sources that help to understand the paths of hunters and gatherers. Important materials such as red jasper, green chalcedony and black chert were collected by these early people. Study results show that they covered impressive distances of between 30 and 100 kilometers.

Raw materials and their geochemical analysis

The research uses collections from the National Museum in Lobamba and focuses on stone artifacts from the Hlalakahle, Siphiso, Sibebe and Nkambeni sites. Together with Dr. Brandi MacDonald of the Missouri Research Reactor used neutron activation analysis to determine the origin of the stones. This geochemical fingerprint analysis enabled the geographical allocation of the raw materials. What is striking is that the tools made of green chalcedony and red jasper have the same fingerprint as the deposits in the Mgwayiza Valley.

The research also found that stones may have been transported via local rivers, although there were long distances between the sources and the sites. An important aspect is the recognition that color preferences have changed over time. While black and white chert and green chalcedony were popular in the Middle Stone Age, red jasper was preferred in the later Stone Age. The study is entitled: “Decoding hunter-gatherer-knowledge and selective choice of lithic raw materials during the Middle and Later Stone Age in Eswatini.”

Genetic connections between Europe and North Africa

Another important area of ​​research is the genetic connections between early European hunters and North African populations. Latest studies on the genetic history of the Eastern Maghreb, published in the specialist magazine Nature, show that people in this region, which includes modern-day Tunisia and northeastern Algeria, had European ancestors more than 8,000 years ago.

The DNA analysis of nine individuals from archaeological sites that are between 6,000 and 10,000 years old provides the first genetic evidence of Stone Age sea voyages across the Mediterranean. These findings are based on direct genetic findings and complement archaeological excavations. David Reich, a population geneticist at Harvard Medical School, highlights that there is a gap in knowledge about North African history. In contrast to the Western Maghreb, where the heritage of European farmers prevailed, in the Eastern Maghreb the original heritage was preserved while people continued to live as hunters and gatherers, despite the introduction of farm animals.

In addition, a man from the Tunisian site of Djebba was found to have around 6% of his DNA coming from European hunters and gatherers. These finds prove that there were encounters between North African ancestors and Europeans around 8,500 years ago. The analysis also shows that obsidian from the island of Pantelleria was found in Tunisian archaeological sites, indicating trade contacts.

It is believed that hunters and gatherers traveled across the Straits of Sicily in wooden canoes. However, it should be noted that many potential stopovers that could be important for the exploration of these routes are now underwater. Rosa Fregel, who is involved in the studies, describes the discovery as significant and expects further surprises from future research.

Genealogy Discourse reports that ancient DNA analyzes confirm existing skeletal hypotheses and show the genetic resilience of the Eastern Maghreb. This area shows less European farming influence and is a valuable source for understanding the migration and adaptation of populations in the Stone Age.