Abstract
In this article, we reassess the human remains from the Mumbwa Caves housed in the Raymond A. Dart Archaeological Human Remains Collection at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Based on new radiocarbon dates from human bone collagen and stable isotope analysis, our results revealed that the poorly preserved remains, comprising mostly crania and teeth, represent at least 16 individuals. Some of them have culturally modified anterior teeth. Enamel hypoplastic lesions were seen in a few individuals, which indicates disease and malnutrition during childhood. Radiocarbon dating revealed that all the individuals were buried at Mumbwa sometime between the late tenth and early twentieth century CE, with most dates clustering between the early sixteenth and the late nineteenth century. With the exception of a single individual who seems to have had a hunter-gatherer/forager diet, the carbon and nitrogen isotope values of others are consistent with what would be expected from a low-trophic farmer diet based on foodplants with C4 photosynthetic pathways. It is, therefore, our contention that, rather than being associated with the Stone Age as previously suggested, these individuals lived in more recent agricultural communities around the Mumbwa Caves.
Résumé
Dans cette étude, nous réexaminons les restes humains des grottes de Mumbwa conservés dans la collection archéologique Raymond A. Dart à l'Université Witwatersrand, en Afrique du Sud. Nous présentons de nouvelles datations au radiocarbone à partir du collagène osseux humain ainsi que des mesures des isotopes stables du carbone et de l'azote. Nos résultats ont révélé que les restes humains, composés majoritairement de crânes et de dents, appartiennent à au moins 16 individus. Certains d'entre eux présentent des modifications des dents antérieures dues à des pratiques culturelles. Des lésions hypoplasiques de l'émail ont été observées sur quelques individus, ce qui indique l’occurrence de maladies et/ou de malnutrition pendant l'enfance. La datation au radiocarbone a également révélé que tous les individus ont été enterrés à Mumbwa entre la fin des années 900 AD et le début du 20e siècle, la plupart des dates se regroupant du début du 16e siècle à la fin du 19e siècle. À l'exception d'un seul individu qui semble avoir eu un régime alimentaire de chasseur-cueilleur, les valeurs isotopiques du carbone et de l'azote sont toutes cohérentes avec ce que l'on pourrait attendre d'un régime alimentaire basé sur la consommation de plantes cultivées caractérisées par des mécanismes de photosynthèse en C4. Nous soutenons donc que, plutôt que d'être associés à l'âge de pierre comme suggéré précédemment, ces individus vivaient probablement dans des communautés d’agriculteurs autour des grottes de Mumbwa au moment de leur disparition.
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All data used in this publication are available for future studies.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank George Mudenda, Director of the Livingstone Museum, for his support and letter of approval to sample the remains housed in the Raymond A Dart collection. We are also indebted to the curators of the Raymond A. Dart Archaeological Human Remains Collection for permission to study the remains. CMS, CJ, and the 14C and isotopic measurements at Uppsala Tandem laboratories were funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation grant awarded to CMS. The remains were sampled and exported under SAHRA permit 2789.
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Maryna Steyn is assigned to the skeletal analysis, writing of first draft and revision of later drafts, and coordination. Anja Meyer is responsible for the faunal analysis, images, data collection, and editing and assisted with drafts and in the interpretation of stable isotope data. Rita Peyroteo-Stjerna is assigned to sampling, analysis and interpretation of radiocarbon measurements, radiocarbon plots, and preparing of tables with datasets; she also contributed to drafts and editing. Cecile Jolly did sampling and preparation for isotope analyses, curation, and coordination of data. Carina Schlebusch is responsible for the coordination of Uppsala University-based analyses and contributions, funding for sample collection and isotope analysis, and contribution to drafts and editing. Lawrence Barham is assigned to the research context, interpretation of archaeological and ethnographic data, and contributing to drafts. Marlize Lombard is responsible for the initial co-ordination of participants, text development and language editing, data collection, and interpretation of isotope data.
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Steyn, M., Meyer, A., Peyroteo-Stjerna, R. et al. African Farmers, Not Stone Age Foragers: Reassessment of Human Remains from the Mumbwa Caves, Zambia. Afr Archaeol Rev (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-022-09507-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-022-09507-4