Sehonghong (SA)
Basic information
Sample name: Sehonghong (SA)
Reference: I. Plug and P. Mitchell. 2008. Sehonghong: hunter-gatherer utilization of animal resources in the highlands of Lesotho. Annals of the Transvaal Museum 45:31-53 [ER 3742]
Geography
Country: Lesotho
State: Thaba-Tseka
Coordinate: 29° 46' S, 28° 47' E
Coordinate basis: stated in text
Time interval: Holocene
Section: 3742
Unit number: 4
Unit order: above to below
Max Ma: 0.00974
Min Ma: 0.00928
Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)
Geography comments: "Sehonghong is a large rock-shelter on the banks of the Sehonghong River, close to its confluence with the Senqu (Orange/Gariep) in the Thaba Tseka District of the highlands of Lesotho. The site lies at an elevation of 1800 m above sea level".
Two radiocarbon determinations bracket Layer SA to between 9740 ± 140 BP and 9280 ± 45 BP.
Two radiocarbon determinations bracket Layer SA to between 9740 ± 140 BP and 9280 ± 45 BP.
Environment
Lithology: ash
Taphonomic context: human accumulation,rock shelter
Archaeology: hearths,stone tools
Habitat comments: "Layer SA (Sandy Ash) consists of a series of mottled orange-brown sandy loams, most strongly developed toward the front of the excavation trench, in the rear of which firmer, white ashy units were found. The layer included one hearth together with an Oakhurst stone tool assemblage".
"While not all of the animal remains in the deposit would have been accumulated by people, the intense degree of fragmentation and burning that characterizes the Sehonghong assemblages strongly suggests that people were responsible for acquiring almost all of the faunal remains".
"While not all of the animal remains in the deposit would have been accumulated by people, the intense degree of fragmentation and burning that characterizes the Sehonghong assemblages strongly suggests that people were responsible for acquiring almost all of the faunal remains".
Methods
Life forms: carnivores,primates,rodents,ungulates,other large mammals,other small mammals,birds,lizards,snakes,frogs,fishes,crustaceans,clams,snails
Sampling methods: quarry,screenwash
Sample size: 719 specimens
Sampled by: P. Mitchell
Years: 1992
Sampling comments: "The primary excavation of the site was conducted by P. Mitchell in 1992. All sediment removed from the deposits was dry-sieved through a 1.5 mm mesh".
"Layer SA was excavated in 24 units with 140 buckets of deposit removed".
"Layer SA was excavated in 24 units with 140 buckets of deposit removed".
Metadata
Sample number: 3982
Contributor: Benjamin Carter
Enterer: Benjamin Carter
Created: 2022-08-25 13:53:15
Modified: 2023-05-30 01:41:15
Abundance distribution
31 species
7 singletons
total count 719
geometric series index: 46.0
Fisher's α: 6.595
geometric series k: 0.8447
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.8979
Shannon's H: 2.6381
Good's u: 0.9903
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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