Papers by Prof. Shaw Badenhorst
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2024
Brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea) are often implicated as either contributing to or scavenging fa... more Brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea) are often implicated as either contributing to or scavenging faunal remains at archaeological sites in southern Africa. Various criteria have been established to distinguish between anthropogenic and brown hyena accumulations. Brown hyenas regularly feed on other carnivores. It is expected that such hyena assemblages will have a greater diversity of carnivore species, compared to accumulations of humans. We test this notion using anthropogenic accumulations dating to the Middle Stone Age from the Eastern and Western Cape of South Africa, as well as (nearly) contemporaneous fossil brown hyena accumulations from the same region, using a Carnivore Richness Index (CRI). This index measures the richness of carnivore taxa in samples against the richness of ungulate taxa. The results show that CRI values are generally low for faunas from layers and whole assemblages accumulated by hominins. The range is between 0.13 and 0.42 when all the layers are considered together as a whole for individual sites. For fossil brown hyena samples, the CRI values are consistently higher relative to hominin-induced samples with values ranging between 0.40 and 0.52. The results indicate that quantification using the CRI effectively discriminates layers and sites with higher probabilities of brown hyena activity from those of anthropogenic accumulations. Thus, if used in conjunction with other methods such as the carnivore-ungulate ratio, taphonomic modifications and the presence of juvenile hyena remains and coprolites, it will allow for better identification of the agents involved in the accumulation process.
Southern African Field Archaeology, 2024
Klasies River is an important site for the study of the evolution of Homo sapiens, understanding ... more Klasies River is an important site for the study of the evolution of Homo sapiens, understanding modern behaviour and human interaction with the environment during the Middle Stone Age. The faunal sample from the RS sub-member in Cave 1B (MSA I), dating to ca. 115 000 years ago and older, was recently analysed. The results indicate that humans were hunting a variety of prey. The most common taxa in the sample are indeterminate medium birds, indeterminate small mammals, rock hyraxes, and indeterminate medium mammals. Based on multiple lines of evidence including the presence of: cultural artefacts, shellfish, tortoises, large mammals, butchery marks, and burnt specimens; and, a lack of carnivore taxa compared to ungulates (as reflected in the low carnivore-ungulate ratio), hyena coprolites and beak damage, coupled with infrequent baboons and the absence of leopards (as reflected in the low leopard index), it is apparent that humans were the main agent of accumulation of the fauna. However, other agents of accumulation such as brown hyenas, leopards and raptors likely contributed some faunal remains, especially of smaller taxa.
Journal of Entomological Science, 2024
A staphylinid beetle morphotype, Mesostaphylinus orapa sp. n., is described based on a single wel... more A staphylinid beetle morphotype, Mesostaphylinus orapa sp. n., is described based on a single well-preserved compression fossil from an Upper Cretaceous lacustrine deposit at Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana. Mesostaphylinus Zhang is placed in the extant subfamily Paederinae based on general habitus and an unambiguous synapomorphy, the concealed antennal insertions. Mesostaphylinus is a genus of convenience for fossils belonging in Paederinae, but lacking diagnostic features (e.g., maxillary palpomeres) to assign and delineate them into appropriate tribes and subtribes. The fossil described here is morphologically similar to M. laiyangensis Zhang, M. fraternus Zhang, Wang and Xu, M. elongatus Solodovnikov and Yue, M. yixianus Solodovnikov and Yue, and M. antiquus Solodovnikov and Yue. Compared to other fossil staphylinid beetles that have been described thus far, the fossil also portrays morphological conservatism, morphological stasis, or arrested evolution dating back to the Cretaceous, thereby suggesting a punctuated equilibrium pattern of evolution.
South African Archaeological Bulletin, 2023
Hoekfontein is a Late Iron Age settlement in the Central Bankenveld of
South Africa. Rescue exca... more Hoekfontein is a Late Iron Age settlement in the Central Bankenveld of
South Africa. Rescue excavations were undertaken at the site in 2002.
The fauna indicates that livestock and wild animals are present in the
sample. Cattle is the dominant taxon. This is also the case at other Late
Iron Age settlements in the region, including mega-sites. The presence
of expedient bone tools and worked freshwater mussel is similar to
those found at other Late Iron Age sites.
Southern African Field Archaeology, 2023
Rain-control in the Shashe-Limpopo Confluence Area (SLCA) is one sphere in which hunter-gatherer ... more Rain-control in the Shashe-Limpopo Confluence Area (SLCA) is one sphere in which hunter-gatherer and farmer interaction is archaeologically visible. One avenue of examining this interaction is through faunal analysis. This paper presents an updated taxa list for one of the identified rain-control sites in the SLCA-Ratho Kroonkop. By identifying the taxa accumulated at Ratho Kroonkop and contextualising them using radiocarbon dates and relevant ethnographies, we were able to determine that particular animals were significant to the people who utilised the location as a rain-control site. Additionally, we were able to establish that this significance continued from the K2 period (AD 1000-1220) to the historic period.
Taxonomic richness and biodiversity are useful measures to biologically characterise water bodies... more Taxonomic richness and biodiversity are useful measures to biologically characterise water bodies. When applied to archaeoichthyological samples from prehistoric sites in the northern Nilo-Sudanic ichthyofaunal Province of Africa, these parameters can help archaeologists understand the nature of the palaeodrainages that shaped the North African arid landscape in Holocene times. However, taxonomic composition of archaeoichthyological assemblages does not exactly reflect the natural fish population once inhabiting the water body. Indices of biodiversity based on faunal remains of anthropogenic origin should therefore be referred to as archaeobiodiversity indices (aD). Since Holocene water bodies cannot be characterised ecologically in sufficient detail on the basis of archaeobiodiversity indices alone, an approach is presented here that combines this parameter with a measure indicative of the type and quality of the local aquatic environment, namely the NISP ratio of Latidae to Clariidae in the assemblages. Latidae are known to prefer deeper, well-aerated open waters whilst Clariidae prosper in shallow, closed waters characterised by fluctuating temperatures and oxygen concentrations. Using this approach a classification of archaeological sites according to ichthyological diversity and predominant aquatic habitat can be attempted.
South African Journal of Cultural History, Jun 1, 2023
Cambridge University Press eBooks, Aug 18, 2022
Oxbow Books, Sep 25, 2017
Socio-political developments in the Limpopo Valley are of considerable interest to Iron Age archa... more Socio-political developments in the Limpopo Valley are of considerable interest to Iron Age archaeologists and some have suggested a pivotal role for cattle within this context, especially during the Middle Iron Age. In the past, many faunal assemblages from the region were quantified using the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) only. In this study, the Cattle Index, which measures the ratio of cattle to sheep/goats in a faunal assemblage, is applied to archaeofauna from the Limpopo Valley, as well as to other Iron Age samples for which only MNIs are available. The resulting Cattle Indices show that wealth was not based on cattle alone in the Limpopo Valley. Most faunal samples from the Early and Middle Iron Ages are dominated by sheep/goats. However, exceptions occur at KwaGandaganda, Mamba, Bosutswe and Nqoma. During the Late Iron Age, most assemblages are dominated by cattle. We consider potential reasons for the identified Early and Middle Iron Age exceptions, and also for variable livestock numbers in general.
South African Archaeological Bulletin, Dec 1, 2004
A new genus and species of a staphylinid beetle, Afrinophilina orapa gen. et sp. n., is described... more A new genus and species of a staphylinid beetle, Afrinophilina orapa gen. et sp. n., is described using a single well-preserved compression fossil from an Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, the Orapa Diamond Mine in Botswana. Afrinophilina is placed in the extant subfamily Paederinae based on concealed antennal insertions, and hypomeron with a well-developed post-coxal process. It is placed among the Pinophilini based on an elongated procoxae (as long as the profemora), broad, oval, fully exposed trochantin, and a conspicuous second abdominal segment. The new species is placed in the Pinophilina, rather than the Procirrina, based on the presence of well-preserved pair of paratergites on segments III-VIII. Characters which may distinguish this new species from other Pinophilina include the lack of an emarginate shape of the rear margins of the elytra, broad neck, and having two pairs of paratergites on each side of segments III-VI. This is the earliest occurrence of a member of ...
Cretaceous Research
A new genus and species of rove beetle, Afristenus orapensis gen. et sp. n., is described and fig... more A new genus and species of rove beetle, Afristenus orapensis gen. et sp. n., is described and figured based on one well-preserved compression fossil from the African, Upper Cretaceous fossil insect deposit, Orapa Diamond Mine in north-east Botswana. Afristenus is definitively placed in the extant subfamily Steninae based on its harpoon-like labial feeding apparatus. Afristenus differs from all other Steninae by head and neck behind the eyes being broader than eyes that cover two-thirds of the side of the head and transverse prothorax, which is distinctly broader than the head. The new specimen from Orapa Diamond Mine possibly has unique antennae with a compact 5-segmented-club, and a stem composed of elongated antennal segments. This is the first stenine compression fossil with a preserved labial feeding mechanism. It confirms the widespread distribution of stenines with this feeding apparatus in the mid-Cretaceous; supporting the hypothesis that this feeding mechanism was part of the ground plan of the Steninae, and the Lower Cretaceous, but probably not Jurassic origin for the group. It also demonstrates morphological conservatism dating back to the Cretaceous.
In this paper, we present the results of a preliminary analysis of the fossil bovids present at X... more In this paper, we present the results of a preliminary analysis of the fossil bovids present at X Cave on Bolt's Farm in the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa. The X Cave faunal sample derives from ex situ deposits and includes a relatively large component of postcranial specimens. From the bovid taxa represented the deposit seems to be younger than 2.5 Ma, although the taxa identified do not represent a confined time period. The sample represents a palaeoenvironment consisting of grassland and woodland, as well as stable water sources and rocky elements. The bovid specimens were most likely collected by carnivores, although it may be possible that other agents also contributed.
Research, Education, and American Indian Partnerships at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, 2023
Bones of rodents are recovered from most archaeological sites in the American Southwest, but thei... more Bones of rodents are recovered from most archaeological sites in the American Southwest, but their complex taphonomic history means they receive less attention than other small mammal taxa, such as cottontails and jackrabbits, that are widely accepted by archaeologists as having been hunted by Indigenous communities. Here we examine the role of rodents in the diet of ancestral Pueblo people, with a focus on data from numerous Crow Canyon Archaeological Center projects in the central Mesa Verde region.
South African Journal of Cultural History, 2023
Na die Anglo-Boereoorlog (1899 –1902) (ook bekend as die Suid-Afrikaanse Oorlog) het die Britse o... more Na die Anglo-Boereoorlog (1899 –1902) (ook bekend as die Suid-Afrikaanse Oorlog) het die Britse onderwysdepartement weeshuise opgerig vir Afrikaanse kinders in die Kaap-, Oranjerivier- en Transvaal-kolonie. Drie weeshuise is in die voormalige Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR/Transvaal) opgerig, naamlik in Irene, Potchefstroom en Pietersburg.
In hierdie studie word die geskiedenis van die Pietersburgse weeshuis ondersoek, wat tussen 1903 en 1907 bestaan het. Die weeshuis in Pietersburg het gedurende hierdie tydperk tussen 35 en 45 kinders
gehuisves. Hulle moes eers in tente woon, maar hul lewensomstandighede het mettertyd verbeter toe militêre geboue as huisvesting aangekoop is. Waterpype is ook mettertyd aangelê sodat hulle lopende water gehad het. Daar is goed na die weeskinders omgesien en hulle was oor die algemeen gesond. Meisies is opgelei in huishoudelike werksaamhede, terwyl die seuns ook take rondom die weeshuis verrig het. Die kinders het hul opvoeding by die Government Elementary School ontvang. Die presiese ligging van die weeshuis is onbekend, maar daar is
aanduidinge dat dit oos van die oorspronklike dorp geleë was. Die drie weeshuise van Transvaal is in 1907 gekombineer toe die Potchefstroomse weeshuis vergroot en al die kinders oorgeplaas is na Potchefstroom. Die sluiting van die Pietersburgse weeshuis het teenstand onder die vooraanstaande gemeenskap van die dorp ontlok.
Chemical Geology
Radiogenic strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) are a useful tool in forensics, ecology, bioarcheology ... more Radiogenic strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) are a useful tool in forensics, ecology, bioarcheology and paleoanthropology allowing investigation of present and past migration and landscape use. The measurement of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio traditionally assumes a constant stable (88Sr/86Sr) isotope ratio. However, some studies indicate that these stable Sr isotopes may display mass-dependent fractionation, suggesting that the 88Sr/86Sr ratio may fingerprint previously unknown dietary and physiological information. Here we present a survey of the variability of δ88Sr values, along with the 87Sr/86Sr ratios, in fourteen reference materials of geological and biological origin using MC-ICPMS. The measurements employ a simple sample-standard bracketing method and zirconium external correction. Comparisons with double-spiked δ88Sr TIMS analyses show a very good agreement (0.014 ‰; n = 10). We then applied this method to explore the fractionation of the 88Sr/86Sr ratio in tooth enamel of mammals from two modern food-chains (Kruger National Park and Western Cape, South Africa), and from modern South African chacma baboon populations. Clear differences in the δ88Sr values are observed between plants and teeth of herbivores (~ 0.26 ‰; n = 5), but the distinction between herbivores and carnivores requires further investigation. Variations between tooth enamel of young and adult baboons suggests that the δ88Sr is a promising indicator of weaning behaviors. Our method implementation and preliminary results highlight the importance of coupled radiogenic and stable Sr isotope determination in extant and extinct vertebrates.
Annals of the DITSONG: National Museum of Natural History, 2022
Rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) are small mammals common in South Africa and their fragmented re... more Rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) are small mammals common in South Africa and their fragmented remains are frequently encountered in Quaternary faunas, because a variety of cave-dwelling predators prey on them, including leopards, large raptors and humans. Male rock hyraxes are larger than females. We measured the breadth of the distal humeri-a dense part of the skeleton common in Quaternary remains from South Africa-of modern rock hyraxes, which displays sexual dimorphism in the species. We then measured the same anatomical element of rock hyraxes from Plovers Lake and Swartkrans, two Quaternary sites in South Africa, in an attempt to sex the distal humeri. We also include measurements of the extinct Procavia antiqua-a hyrax species of uncertain taxonomic status. Overall, our preliminary results show that the samples from Plovers Lake and Swartkrans Cave contain more females than males. This is supported by modern population studies, which indicate that colonies of rock hyraxes consist of more females. Moreover, our measurements suggest that Procavia antiqua may be a distinct species of hyrax.
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Papers by Prof. Shaw Badenhorst
South Africa. Rescue excavations were undertaken at the site in 2002.
The fauna indicates that livestock and wild animals are present in the
sample. Cattle is the dominant taxon. This is also the case at other Late
Iron Age settlements in the region, including mega-sites. The presence
of expedient bone tools and worked freshwater mussel is similar to
those found at other Late Iron Age sites.
In hierdie studie word die geskiedenis van die Pietersburgse weeshuis ondersoek, wat tussen 1903 en 1907 bestaan het. Die weeshuis in Pietersburg het gedurende hierdie tydperk tussen 35 en 45 kinders
gehuisves. Hulle moes eers in tente woon, maar hul lewensomstandighede het mettertyd verbeter toe militêre geboue as huisvesting aangekoop is. Waterpype is ook mettertyd aangelê sodat hulle lopende water gehad het. Daar is goed na die weeskinders omgesien en hulle was oor die algemeen gesond. Meisies is opgelei in huishoudelike werksaamhede, terwyl die seuns ook take rondom die weeshuis verrig het. Die kinders het hul opvoeding by die Government Elementary School ontvang. Die presiese ligging van die weeshuis is onbekend, maar daar is
aanduidinge dat dit oos van die oorspronklike dorp geleë was. Die drie weeshuise van Transvaal is in 1907 gekombineer toe die Potchefstroomse weeshuis vergroot en al die kinders oorgeplaas is na Potchefstroom. Die sluiting van die Pietersburgse weeshuis het teenstand onder die vooraanstaande gemeenskap van die dorp ontlok.
South Africa. Rescue excavations were undertaken at the site in 2002.
The fauna indicates that livestock and wild animals are present in the
sample. Cattle is the dominant taxon. This is also the case at other Late
Iron Age settlements in the region, including mega-sites. The presence
of expedient bone tools and worked freshwater mussel is similar to
those found at other Late Iron Age sites.
In hierdie studie word die geskiedenis van die Pietersburgse weeshuis ondersoek, wat tussen 1903 en 1907 bestaan het. Die weeshuis in Pietersburg het gedurende hierdie tydperk tussen 35 en 45 kinders
gehuisves. Hulle moes eers in tente woon, maar hul lewensomstandighede het mettertyd verbeter toe militêre geboue as huisvesting aangekoop is. Waterpype is ook mettertyd aangelê sodat hulle lopende water gehad het. Daar is goed na die weeskinders omgesien en hulle was oor die algemeen gesond. Meisies is opgelei in huishoudelike werksaamhede, terwyl die seuns ook take rondom die weeshuis verrig het. Die kinders het hul opvoeding by die Government Elementary School ontvang. Die presiese ligging van die weeshuis is onbekend, maar daar is
aanduidinge dat dit oos van die oorspronklike dorp geleë was. Die drie weeshuise van Transvaal is in 1907 gekombineer toe die Potchefstroomse weeshuis vergroot en al die kinders oorgeplaas is na Potchefstroom. Die sluiting van die Pietersburgse weeshuis het teenstand onder die vooraanstaande gemeenskap van die dorp ontlok.