Duinefontein 2: an Acheulean Site in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

Multiple cenozoic invasions of Africa by penguins (Aves, Sphenisciformes)

“…A review of all Plio-Pleistocene material in collections found no evidence for the presence of this species in Pliocene deposits. The oldest verifiable fossils of this species come from Duinefontein localities dated to 250-400 ka [31,32]. Molecular divergence dating estimates for the split between S. demersus and its sister species Spheniscus Figure 2.…”

Archeology and the evolution of human behavior

“…However, excepting perhaps the Boxgrove site in southern England, 61 at the few Acheulean sites where the animal bones have been systematically examined for predepositional damage, stone-artifact marks are very rare. 62 Damage from carnivore teeth tends to be much more abundant, and the frequency of carnivore damage recalls the level in bone assemblages from much more ancient waterside sites that totally antedate human presence. 63 There is thus little reason to suppose that human activity significantly shaped the bone accumulations.…”

“…Low density is directly suggested by the very large mean size of the tortoises at the Duinefontein 2 Acheulean site near Cape Town. 62 Tortoise collection requires no special knowledge or technology, and people naturally tend to collect the largest available (most conspicuous and meaty) specimens. If many collectors are involved, they will drive down average tortoise size over time.…”

Archaeology of middle Pleistocene lacustrine and spring paleoenvironments in the Kapthurin Formation, Kenya

“…Much emphasis has been placed on the handaxe as a formal tool or on its presence or absence as a fossil directeur of the Acheulian technocomplex (Leakey, 1971;Klein et al, 1999). However, the handaxe was also likely transported across the landscape as a source of sharp flakes (Jelinek, 1977).…”