Afrikaans: Streekopnames en -analises is 'n belangrike deel van die moderne
navorsingsmetodiek in die argeologie. Die studie-onderwerp van die
proefskrif is die eerste fase van so 'n streekondersoek, naamlik 'n
verkenningsopname in die Nasionale Krugerwildtuin
Die Krugerwildtuin is gelee in die Oos-Transvaalse laeveld in 'n
natuurlike omgewing wat getipeer word as warm en betreklik droe
bosveld. Die Wildtuin is deur die Nasionale Parkeraad verdeel in
35 ekologiese substreke of landskappe. Weinig argeologiese navorsing
is tot dusver gedoen in verband met die geskiedenis en lewenswyses van
mense wat gedurende prehistoriese en vroeg-historiese tye in die gebied teenwoordig was.
Die oogmerke van die streekopname is om 'n geski kte benaderingswyse
en metodiek te vind vir die streekopname, 'n kultuurhistoriese rekonstruksie van die ystertydperk vir die gebied op te stel asook die
wetenskaplike en praktiese nuttigheidswaarde van die vindplekke te
bepaal. Die uiteenlopende en dikwels botsende benaderingswyses van
verskillende argeoloe is in oenskou geneem. Daar is tot die slotsom
gekom dat 'n kultuurhistoriese en induktiewe benadering geskik sou wees
vir die streekopname in die Krugerwildtuin.
Tydens die verkenningsopname is 313 terreine wat met die ystertydperk
verband hou, opgespoor en gedokumenteer. Sowat 30% van al die vindplekke
kon met spesifieke industriee verbind word. Oorblyfsels van 20 ystertydperkindustriee is gei°dentifiseer. Ongeveer 10% van die vindplekke
is as potensiele navorsingsterreine gei°dentifiseer en toetsopgrawings
is op 24 van hierdie terreine gedoen. Heelwat waardevolle navorsings=
materiaal is op 3% van die totale aantal vindplekke opgegrawe en ver=
samel. Die terreinondersoeke het vondste en inligting opgelewer met
behulp waarvan 'n bree kultuurhistoriese raamwerk vir die Wildtuingebied
opgestel kon word.
Die ystertydperkgeskiedenis van die Krugerwildtuin het gestrek oor 'n
tydperk van ongeveer 1 400 jaar, vanaf die vyfde eeu n C tot teen die
einde van die negentiende eeu. Twee hoogtepunte in hierdie tydperk is
die toename van bewoningsaktiwiteitegedurende 700 n C - 900 n C en
1700 n C - 1900 n C. Tydens hierdie twee hoogtepunte in die vestigings=
geskiedenis van die Wildtuingebied het gemeenskappe vir kort tydperke
met groat- en kleinvee die gebied binnegekom en in sommige gevalle ook
graan verbou. Die belangrikste ekonomiese aktiwiteit van die inwoners
van die gebied was die jag- en versamelbedryf. Onderlinge ruilhandel
tussen plaaslike bevolkingsgroepe en ruilhandel met buitelandse handelaars het in sommige gebiede plaasgevind. Metaalbewerking is op klein
skaal vir huishoudelike doeleindes deur 'n aantal gemeenskappe bedryf,
maar die baPhalaborwa het 'n surplus van metaalprodukte gelewer vir
handelsdoeleindes.
Verskeie gevolgtrekkings kan gemaak word uit die kultuurhistoriese
rekonstruksie van die ystertydperk. Dit is om duidelik dat die gebied
vanuit 'n kultuurhistoriese oogpunt beskou kan word as 'n randgebied. Dit
was 'n ongunstige omgewing vir vestigings- en boerderydoeleindes maar
tegelykertyd ~ populere jaggebied. Klaarblyklike fluktuasies in die
reenval en die verspreiding van endemiese siektes en plae soos die tse=
tsevlieg het 'n invloed uitgeoefen op die bevolking en ontvolking van die
gebied. Die ystertydperkgeskiedenis van die Oos-Transvaalse laeveld
hou verband met bevolkingstoenames asook gebeure en omgewingsomstandig=
hede in omliggende woongebiede.
n Induktiewe, interdissiplinere kultuurhistoriese benadering is van
groat nut en noodsaaklik vir die bestudering van gebiede waarvan die
voorgeskiedenis en vroee geskiedenis nog onbekend is. Potwerktipologie en die klassifikasie van klipbouvalle is noodsaaklik vir die kultuurhistoriese identifikasie van industriee. In 'n kulturele grens- of
kontakgebied soos die Krugerwildtuin is dit nie moontlik om etniese
identiteit m b v potwerktipologie te bewys nie.
English: -An important aspect of modern archaeology is spatial survey and
analysis. The subject of study for the thesis is the first phase
of such a regional study, namely a reconnaissance investigation of
the Kruger National Park.
The Kruger Park is situated in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld which
is known as a warm and fairly dry bushveld environment. The Kruger
Park is divided into 35 ecological subregions or landscapes. Little
archaeological research on the history or lifeways of the prehistoric
and early historic peoples of the region has so far been done.
The regional survey is aimed at determining the correct scientific
approach and method for the survey, reconstructing the culture history
of the Iron Age in the area and also to ascertain the scientific and
practical value of the sites. An overview of the different and often
contradictory approaches of archaeologists to archaeological research
is presented. An inductive culture historical approach was selected
for the purposes of the survey in the Kruger Park.
As a result of the reconnaissance survey, 313 sites were found and
recorded. About 30% of these sites could be related to specific Iron
Age industries. The remains of 20 Iron Age industries were identified.
More or less 10% of all the sites were regarded as potentially useful
sites for the purposes of research. On 3% of all the sites substantial quantities of archaeological finds were excavated an~ collected. The
archaeological materials and evidence were sufficient for the re=
construction of a culture historical framework for the Kruger Park area.
The Iron Age in the Kruger Park lasted from the fifth century AD to the
end of the nineteeth, covering a time span of roughly 1 400 years. The
Iron Age settlement twice reached a peak, namely 700 AD - 900 AD and
1700 AD - 1900AD. During these peak periods, people who moved into the
region herded cattle and in some cases cultivated grain for a relatively
short period of time. Hunting and collecting, however, continued to be
the most important economical activity of the Iron Age peoples. Local
barter and trade with foreign tradesmen were practised in some areas.
Small scale metal production for household purposes was generally part
of the lifeways of many communities. The baPhalaborwa, on the other hand,
produced a surplus of metal products for bartering purposes.
The culture historical reconstruction of the Iron Age leads to several
conclusions. It is inter alia quite clear that the Kruger Park area
could, from a culture historical point of view, be regarded as a marginal
area. It is an unfavourable environment for settlement and farming, but
at the same time the region used to be a popular hunting area. Evidently
the population and depopulation of the area were influenced by fluctuations
of rainfall and the geographic distribution of endemic diseases and pests
such as the tsetse fly. The Iron Age history of the eastern Transvaal
lowveld is related to population increases as well as historical events
and enironmental conditions in surrounding settlement regions.
An inductive, interdisciplinary culture historical approach is not only
useful but is also essential for research in archaeologicallyunknown
regions. Pottery typology and the classification of stone walled
settlements are imperative for the culture historical identification of
Iron Age industries. However, in a marginal area and cultural contact zone
such as the Kruger Park, ethnic identity cannot be proved by pottery
typology.
