Abstract:
Archaeological research carried out in the Kruger National Park has identified several
settlements of early African farmers that date to the Early Iron Age (EIA) – c. AD 200 – AD
1000. Two large EIA settlements, Le6 and Le7, were identified in 1977 on the southern bank
of the Letaba River, opposite its confluence with the Tsende. Intermittent excavations of
these sites were carried out between 1977 and 1989, but results have remained largely
unpublished. These sites, which date back to the ninth century, have been the focus of new
and ongoing research since 2021. The research has revealed that these communities were
among the very first in the South African interior to participate in trade with the
wider Indian Ocean world. This article contextualises the EIA of the Letaba River and
surrounds with a specific focus on the history of research at Le6 and Le7 as well as briefly
discusses new research at these sites.
