Border Cave

The results for all sites are given in Table 5.1, and are best considered by dividing sites into three groups according to isotopic nature of the matrix (i) sites with most isotopically emiched matrix carbonates (Die Kelders and Swartkrans), (ii) sites with rather less enriched carbonates (Klasies River Mouth and Makapansgat), and finally (iii) a site with depleted deposit values (Border Cave). This is summarized in Fig. 5.5. The division also fortuitously provides a range of age depths in two categories. As indicated in Table 5.1, many of these data have been published elsewhere, but the purpose for which they are considered in combination here has not been previously attempted. 

Figure 5.5. Summarized 6 C data Tor browsers and grazers, expressed as dark shaded and cross-hatched boxes, respectively, incorporating means and standard deviations, from the three groups of sites plotted against time (a) Die Kelders and Swartkrans, (b) Klasies and Makapansgat, and (c) Border Cave. Typical matrix values are shown as light shaded rectangles.

Figure 5.6. 5 C data for browsers and grazers from Border cave, plotted against age (vertical scale). The shaded areas represent the 5 C values of modem grazers and browsers. Filled squares and circles are tooth enamel the open square is bone. The chronology obtained from ESR measurements of faunal enamel has been used hence the sequence appears somewhat younger than outlined previously (Grun et al. 1990 Beaumont et al. 1978). The sequence is in fact longer, but no isotopic data are available beyond Stratum IGBS.LRA ( 80Ka).

Avery, D.M. 1992 The environment of early modem humans at Border cave. South Africa micromammalian evidence. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatolology Palaeoecology 91 71-87. 

Beaumont, P.B., de Villiers, H. and Vogel, J.C. 1978 Modem man in sub-Saharan Africa prior to 49,000 years B.P. a review and evaluation with particular reference to Border Cave. South... 

Butzer, K.W, Beaumont, PB. and Vogel, J.C. 1978 Lithostratigraphy of Border Cave a Middle Stone Age sequence heginning at c. 195,000 YTP. Journal of Archaeological Science 5 317-341. 

Grun, R., Beaumont, P.B. and Stringer, C. 1990 ESR dating evidence for early modem humans at Border cave in South Africa. Nature 344 537-539. 

Sillen, A. and Morris, A.G. 1996 Diagenesis ofbone from Border cave implications for the age of the Border cave hominids. Journal of Human Evolution 31 499-506. 

Griin R, Beaumont P (2001) Border Cave revisited a revised ESR chronology. J Human Evol 40 467-482 Griin R, Huang PH, Huang W, McDermott F, Thome A, Stringer CB, Yan G (1998) ESR and U-series analyses of teeth from the palaeoanthropological site of Hexian, Anhui Province, China. J Human Evol 34 555-64... 

It appears that the first cultivation of legumes occurred in Southeast Asia, rather than in the Middle East, as was originally thought The recently discovered Spirit Cave near the border between Burma and Thailand contained seeds of beans, peas, and other plants that had E)een there since ab)out 9750 B.C. (as estimated by radiocarbon dating), and which closely resembled the seeds of today s cultivated plants. 

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