Cave Of Hearths

A cave in northern Transvaal which yielded the right side of a Homo sapiens child's jaw, of Rhodesioid type, dating from about 50,000 years ago. It is located close to the Makapansgat site, the oldest cave site known in Africa. Both offer extremely early evidence of the use of fire by man in Africa and tools of the transitional Acheulian-Fauresmith type. The earliest deposits of the Cave of Hearths are Acheulian, followed by a long period of abandonment. There was a long succession of Pietersburg industries and some signs of typological continuity between the Acheulian and the Pietersburg assemblages. The Pietersburg industry was succeeded by an assemblage of subtriangular points and flake scrapers similar to the Bambata industry of Zimbabwe.

A cave near Pietersburg in the northern Transvaal, South Africa, located close to the Makapansgat australopithecine site. The earliest deposits are Acheulian, followed by a thick sterile horizon representing a long period of abandonment. Next comes a long succession of Pietersburg industries. Despite the hiatus between them, there are some signs of typological continuity between the Acheulian and the Pietersburg assemblages at the Cave of Hearths, notably the tendency in the final stages of the Acheulian to the production of elongated blades. The Pietersburg industry was succeeded by one of sub-triangular points and flake scrapers akin to the Bambata industry of Zimbabwe.