Sibudu Cave
The Sibudu Cave (English: Sibudu cave ) is an Abri in a sandstone formation, about 15 meters above the river Tongati in the province of KwaZulu -Natal in South Africa, around 40 kilometers north of Durban. It is considered a significant archeological site that already before at least 77,000 years - was inhabited by humans (Homo sapiens) - the so-called Middle Stone Age. According to a journal article in Antiquity notes were in the cave in a 64,000 years old soil layer discovered on the use of bow and arrow, which - should the interpretation be correct - would be the oldest evidence for this hunting technique. Excavation guide was from 1998 - the beginning of Exploration - Lyn Wadley of Wits University, since 2011 Nicholas Conard has taken on this task ( University of Tübingen).
The cavity has a bottom area of about 55 × 19 meters. There were numerous successive occupation layers are identified that show a repeated use in the period 77000-38000 years ago. From these different ages, lying up to eight meters below the present level layers included thousands stone tools (some with buildup of vegetable glue and wood) and worked bones were exposed. Two layers Fund were due to the nature of the discovered tools of the so-called " Still Bay Industry" ( 72000-71000 years old ) or the Howieson 's Poort industry ( 65000-60000 years old ) are assigned. Were discovered, among other various fireplaces, numerous charred bones of small and large mammals and at least 15 layers of deposits that were centimeter thick padded with grasses (the oldest 77,000 years old) and their surface consisted of sheets of the " Cape Quince " Cryptocarya woodii, their essential oils for insects and their larvae were toxic. Were also found traces of red ocher and strings of pearls from the shells of sea snails.
Archaeological experiments with gum arabic, ocher and other substances available in the stone age ( which had been detected in trace amounts in the cave ) provided detailed insights regarding the individual steps in the manufacture of adhesive and provided the ground for far-reaching reflections on the cognitive abilities of the former cave dwellers. The large number of scattered bones lying around led to the conjecture that in addition to arrow on bow and other hunting techniques - could have been used - snares and traps.