The earliest identification of the full suite of what scholars recognize as modern behaviors in a hominid comes from the Middle Stone Age of southern Africa, specifically Howiesons Poort and Still Bay occupations, dated between 77,000 and 59,000 years ago.
Pinnacle Point (South Africa)
© Science/AAAS
Pinnacle Point is the name of a cave opening onto the Indian Ocean from Mossel Bay in South Africa, with occupations dated between 39,000 and 164,000 years ago. Evidence of early modern behaviors at Pinnacle Point include the oldest known use of shellfish, an early use of ochre, and possible heat-treatment of stone before being worked into tools.
Rose Cottage Cave (South Africa)
Rose Cottage Cave, located within the eastern Free State of South Africa, is a Howiesons Poort site with considerable evidence of stone tool production, particularly blades and bladelets, from a local source.Blombos Cave (South Africa)
Image © Science/AAAS
Blombos Cave, located on the Indian Ocean coast of South Africa, has been the focus of intensive archaeological study for some twenty years. The site's Howiesons Poort and Still Bay components have produced multiple lines of evidence for modern behaviors, including bone and stone projectile points, etched red ochre, and, most recently, paint pots for producing red ochre pigments.
Border Cave (South Africa)
Border Cave is a rockshelter with Howiesons Poort deposits, located in the Lebombo Mountains between South Africa and Swaziland, in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. Human remains were recovered from the site during its original excavations in the 1930s; and at least one of the elements dates to the Howiesons Poort levels.Boomplaas Cave
Boomplaas Cave (or Tree Farm Cave) is located in the Swartberg Range of South Africa, on the coastline, near the southern-most tip of the continent. Boomplaas' site deposits date between 70,000 and 1500 years ago, and include human occupations from the Middle and Late Stone Ages.Klasies River Caves (South Africa)
Klasies River Caves are a set of rockshelters located on the Tsitsikamma coast of South Africa, near the small stream called Klasies River. Howiesons Poort deposits in the cave date to about 60,000 years ago.Sibudu Cave (South Africa)
Lucinda Backwell (c) 2008
Sibudu Cave is an important Howiesons Poort/Still Bay occupation in South Africa, that has produced many different kinds of artifacts related to human behavioral modernity. Projectile points, engraved ochre, worked bone, heat-treatment, high number of blades and large sandstone flakes: all of these have been been recorded here.
