essay

Prehistoric herders and foragers of the Kalahari: the evidence for 1500 years of interaction

past and present in hunter gatherer studiesOrlando, Fla. • Published In 1984 • Pages: 175-193

By: Denbow, James R. (James Raymond).

Abstract
This is a summary of the archaeological data for forager-agropastoral interaction that draws on information from 400 surveyed sites as well as the results of detailed excavations at 16 selected localities.This work has produced a sequence of radiocarbon dates spanning much of the past two milllennia which the author presents in two tables in the text. The archaeological evidence summarized in this chapter indicates that a large gap exists in our understanding and historical assessment of the impact of outside influence on the San. Both the archaeological data and recorded events suggest that contemporary life-styles in the region have been characterized by convergent regional relations and periods of economic flux. In such dynamic circumstances, to fix on one segment of this wider mosaic (whether a particular commodity, group, or archaeological site) as an anthropological isolate may lead to serious distortions in our grasp of past and present proocesses of stability and change (pp. 189-190).
Subjects
Prehistory
Acculturation and culture contact
Sociocultural trends
External relations
Chronologies and culture sequences
culture
San
HRAF PubDate
2005
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Southern Africa
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Archaeologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 2003
Field Date
1970s
Coverage Date
prehistory-twentieth century
Coverage Place
Botswana
Notes
James R. Denbow
Includes bibliographical references (p. 190-193)
LCCN
84011191
LCSH
San (African people)