Mapungubwe: An Archaeozoological Interpretation of an Iron Age Community BY Elizabeth A Voigt

Mapungubwe: An Archaeozoological Interpretation of an Iron Age Community BY Elizabeth A Voigt

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An archaelogical study of the faunal remains at the Mapungubwe iron age sites in South Africa and the study aimed to reconstruct the economic activities, diet and cultural use of bone at Mapungubwe as well as establish a workable system of analysis which could be applied to other iron age sites. The study examined the economy and animal husbandry and found evidence of the presence of domestic cattle, sheep, goats and dogs. Bone and ivory were used extensively as raw materials and were studied in detail. The clay animal figurines produced provided information on animal types. Evidence of the relationship between Man and animals was examined against the wider background of information on the iron age in Africa. It is suggested that it was a cultural capital, or a high social prestige settlement which opens the way to a better understanding of the economic basis of the area north of the Soutpansberg between 800-1200 A.D.