Oral Traditions and Archaeology of the Tsodilo Hills Male Hill Cave

bibliographic database
Line

Periodical article

Title:	Oral Traditions and Archaeology of the Tsodilo Hills Male Hill Cave
Authors:	Campbell, Alec C. Robbins, Lawrence H. Murphy, M. Lynne
Year:	1994
Periodical:	Botswana Notes and Records (ISSN 0525-5090)
Volume:	26
Pages:	37-54
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:	Botswana Southern Africa
Subjects:	archaeology Stone Age prehistory oral history Education and Oral Traditions Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Anthropology and Archaeology History, Archaeology Oral tradition Tsodilo Hills (Botswana)
External links:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/40959180 http://search.proquest.com/pao/docview/1291908155
Abstract:	In August 1992 a hidden cave (Male Hill Cave) was discovered at the Tsodilo Hills in northwestern Botswana. According to oral tradition hunting rituals had been carried out in this cave. The cultural material from Male Hill Cave primarily consists of Late Stone Age debitage, animal bone fragments and some potsherds. Overall, the density of debris would be consistent with the interpretation of repeated use of the cave by a few people over an extensive period. Judging from radiocarbon dating, the site was first used prior to the first century AD. None of the artifacts found at Male Hill Cave are definitively ceremonial in nature. Thus, the archaeological evidence does not provide any definite links between the actual prehistoric use of the cave and oral traditions. App., bibliogr., notes.