Pre-colonial Heritage

Drawing primarily on careful analysis of oral traditions, scholars are in general agreement that most Tswana communities are offshoots of the Bahurutshe, who moved southwards through what is today Botswana and established themselves along the Madikwe (Marico) River, probably in about 1500 AD (see Carruthers 2014, p. 213). The Bakwena were one of the most prominent offshoots from the Bahurutshe. By the late 17th century, there were several branches of the Bakwena, and one of their chiefs named Modimosana moved eastwards with his people into the area west of the Magaliesberg (see Breutz 1953, p. 108). Oral tradition indicates that Kgosi Modimosana had four sons: Ramanamela, Mmatau, Maake and Mmatlhaku (Breutz 1987, p. 268). By the beginning of the 18th century, Mmatau's son Sekano had become kgosi of the community (now known as the Bakwena ba Modimosana ba Mmatau), and they had settled at Molokwane along the upper reaches of the Selons River (Breutz 1953, p. 108).

Over time, Molokwane became a huge stone-walled settlement. The people living there followed the normal Tswana practice of laying out each kgoro (ward or village) according to the "central cattle pattern", with the cattle kraals of the kgoro surrounded and protected by the living areas of the people. At Molokwane, however, there were large numbers of dikgoro which merged to form what was effectively a large town. From the air, the extensive stone-walling at Molokwane is still clearly visible today.

By the late 18th century, the community was ruled by Kgosi Kgaswane, son...

In Episode 1 of this series (click here to read), mention was made of the agro-pastoralists (farmers who grew crops and kept livestock) who moved into the Magaliesberg region in about 225 AD. Scholars have categorised them as people of the "early iron age", as they possessed and made use of the technology needed for smelting and forging iron in order to make tools and weapons. They did not, however, build the more sophisticated settlements which were characteristic of the middle and late iron ages.

It is something of a mystery as to what became of these early iron age people. The dating techniques used by archaeologists indicate that they were present in the Broederstroom area up until about 450 AD. There is then a large gap in the archaeological record, and the next evidence of iron age peoples in the Magaliesberg region is dated at about 1100 AD. The most likely explanation (e.g. by Prof Tom Huffman) seems to be that the early iron age people moved away from the Magaliesberg, and that the middle iron age settlements are evidence of a second wave of immigrants who moved southwards from areas further north in Africa. Some scholars, however, including Prof Revil Mason, have maintained that the middle iron age people were direct descendants of those of the early iron age, and that we have not yet found the evidence of their continuous occupation of the Magaliesberg region from 450 AD to 1100 AD.

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It is unknown when exactly human beings first arrived in the Magaliesberg, but stone tools from the area date back hundreds of thousands of years. There are, however, three important archaeological sites in the Magaliesberg where radio-carbon dating has revealed fascinating evidence of the way early occupants lived at least 6 000 years ago. These sites are Kruger Cave, west of Olifantspoort (excavated by Prof Revil Mason - see main image), and Jubilee Shelter and Cave James, east of Silkaatsnek (excavated by Prof Lyn Wadley). All of these sites are extremely vulnerable to damage, and for this reason their exact locations are not disclosed.

The research of Professors Mason and Wadley, and other archaeologists, has shed significant light on the way of life of these people who lived in the Magaliesberg region thousands of years ago. They grew no crops and kept no livestock. They relied entirely on hunting of wild animals and gathering of edible parts of wild plants for their food. These Magaliesberg hunter-gatherers have often been referred to as "San", "Bushmen" or "Khoisan",  but for various reasons, all of these terms are problematic. The reality is that we simply do not know what these people called themselves, or what they were called by other people who moved into the area later on. The term "hunter-gatherers" works well as a description which is closely tied to the way that they lived.
 
The excavation of Kruger Cave by Prof Mason yielded large numbers of small, finely worked stone...

In the article below, journalist Lucille Davie provides some wonderful history of Mapungubwe, one of South Africa's iconic World Heritage Sites. The piece was originally published on the website southafrica.info on 21 April 2004. Click here to view more of Davie's work.

South Africa’s first kingdom, Mapungubwe in Limpopo province, dating back 800 years and situated in a game reserve, is to open to the public in June.

To be known as the Mapungubwe National Park, it borders on the Limpopo river and offers spectacular views of the river and South Africa’s neighbours, Botswana and Zimbabwe, at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers. The site is now a declared World Heritage Site, and from June, guided tours will be available.

This was a long-awaited trip for me, to explore the Mapungubwe mountain and understand more about the lost kingdom of people who date back to the 1200s. It was only discovered in 1933 but remained hidden from public attention until only recently.
 
It’s the first society in South Africa in which class distinctions appeared, with the king separating himself from his subjects, physically by living above them on the mountain top, remaining distant and aloof from them, with his subjects carrying food and water to him and his royal entourage daily.

I knew the basics – that Mapungubwe (meaning “place of wolves”) dated back to pre-colonial times; that they were the first people, after the Bushmen, to settle in South Africa; that they lived on a hill top...

In the article below, journalist Lucille Davie highlights the remarkable work of archaeologist Revil Mason. The piece was originally published on the City of Joburg's website on 19 November 2009. Click here to view more of Davie's work.

We might not know about the historical significance of Melville Koppies and other areas of Joburg if not for the meticulous work done by archaeologist Revil Mason.
 
Now retired, Mason is credited with uncovering the secrets of iron smelting at the koppies, one of the last indigenous, protected green lungs in the city.
 
Mason went on to find 14 more prehistoric iron furnaces in the suburbs of Northcliff, Lonehill, Panorama and Bruma. In the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve in southern Joburg he found 110 prehistoric Sotho/Tswana villages, occupied from 1500 to 1800.

Northcliff Hill (The Heritage Portal)

Lonehill Koppie (The Heritage Portal)

His excavations led to the koppies being proclaimed a national monument, now a heritage site, in 1963.
 
Mason, former professor of research in the Wits department of archaeology, uncovered an Iron Age furnace on the koppies, dating to around 1600AD.
 
"In 1948 I found Stone Age artefacts on Melville Koppies...

In the article below, journalist Lucille Davie reveals the rich history of Lonehill in Sandton. She also uncovers some wonderful details about the places, spaces and people of Sandton before it became the financial capital of South Africa. The piece first appeared on the City of Joburg's website on 25 February 2003. Click here to view more of Davie's work.

There’s a story that if the top boulder of the Lonehill Koppie were dislodged, all the whites in the country would leave. It’s a latter-day version of an Anglo Boer War tale: that if the Boers dislodged the rock, the British would lose the war and leave South Africa.

Whatever version you fancy, the top boulder, which balances on several larger boulders, is still firmly in place and although some whites have emigrated, most are just as firmly still in the country.

Ladder to the top (The Heritage Portal)

The Lonehill Koppie is beautiful – it stands out as a lone koppie in the middle of suburbia, some 28 kilometres north of the city centre, and is a reminder of what Johannesburg used to look like before it was settled: rocky veld with small streams trickling through it, dotted with shrubs, small trees and knee-high grasses. Guinea fowl...

To the north of Johannesburg lies a hill of great historical, archaeological and geological importance. In the article below Lilith Wynne explores the archaeological aspects of the Lone Hill site. The article first appeared in the 1988 Journal of the Sandton Historical Association, two years after Professor Revil Mason made his 'discovery'.

Right in the middle of Sandton is a site which could become an important part of our community life and a focal point of education. According to Professor Revil Mason, Director of the Archaeological Research Unit of the University of the Witwatersrand, this discovery represents one of the finest Iron Age Smelting and Forging sites in Southern Africa, and may even be the most complete.

Regrettably, the area is scheduled for town house development. Fortunately, soon after the discovery, building and development was stopped by the owner, Mr Oswald Buckner. Sponsored by the Sandton Council, the Archaeology Unit with Professor Mason and Mr Robbie Steel moved onto the site to make a detailed investigation. It soon became apparent that in Sandton we have a site of national historical importance, one that merits all efforts to preserve it.

Development around the area today (The Heritage Portal)

Excavations begin

The first excavation showed a large iron smelting area, dated by samples of charcoal to about three hundred years ago. Fragments of...

This fascinating article appeared in The Star in the lead up to Johannesburg's Centenary Commemorations. It highlights the layers of significance attached to Northcliff Hill previously known as Aasvogel Kop. It is interesting to note the tussle between the forces of preservation and development on the ridge as well as the limited resources of the heritage authorities of the time.

In 1986 Johannesburg will be 100 years old. That's young by Europe's standards of course. But looked at from another direction we've had people living in this area for hundreds of thousands of years.

Traces of these occupants - Stone Age Man - are still visible in parts of modern Johannesburg. Their tools have been unearthed right next to Johannesburg's Supreme Court building. And on top of Northcliff hill there are the remains of their settlements. The first known inhabitants of Johannesburg settled on the eastern side of the hill between 500 000 and 250 000 years ago. They were hunters and gatherers of edible plants who made use of stone tools. Three sites remain to tell of these early inhabitants.

Later, between 100 000 and 50 000 years ago, other people settled in the area. They too used stone tools and there are the remains of their settlement in two sites on top of the hill.

Then, about 300 years ago, kraals were built, and stone walls enclosed areas - Iron Age farmers had moved into the area.

Northcliff hill shows the past of all three periods but the question...