'n Kultuurhistoriese interpretasie van die ystertydperk in die Nasionale Krugerwildtuin

Abstract

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.