Abstract
STONE AGE INDUSTRIES or SOUTH AFRICA.—A new classification of the Stone Age industries of South Africa is suggested by Dr. Van Hoepen in Part I. of the Argeologiese Navorsing of the National Museum of Bloemfontein. Incidentally, some interesting suggestions are put forward as to the uses of certain of the implements. The classification is typological. The implements of the Stellenbosch, Vaal, and Pniel are equated with Chellean, Acheulean, and Mousterian respectively. The author had previously suggested the substitution of the Pniel culture for the ‘Victoria West’ culture. In the Koning culture, which is equated with the Aurignacian, a new industry is recognised corresponding with Upper Aurignacian. This is the Poort, so-called from the locality in which it is found, namely, Commissie Poort, Ladybrand district, and characterised by small thumb-nail scrapers and double hollow scrappers, while for the lower Koning culture, corresponding with the lower Aurignacian, is suggested the name Koning industry. Of the remaining cultures the equations are, Stilbay with Solutrean, Mosselbay with Magdalenian, and Wilton with Azilian. In the newly defined Koning industry, the types here described are the trimmer, the disc scraper, and end scraper, flaying knife and curved point. It is pointed out that the term ‘scraper’ is being applied to implements never used for the purpose of scraping, while they seem admirably adapted for skinning animals, the point being especially well fitted for assistance when the skin holds very tight. The question is raised whether the grey-weathered and red-weathered implements were made by different peoples, or whether worked by the same people at different times, but it is left over for future discussion.
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Research Items. Nature 122, 937–939 (1928). https://doi.org/10.1038/122937a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/122937a0