Erb Tanks: a Middle and Later Stone Age Rockshelter in the Central Namib Desert, Western Namibia.

Abstract

This report describes the results of the 2009 excavations at the Erb Tanks Rockshelter on the central Namib gravel plain in western Namibia. These excavations revealed Middle Stone Age (MSA) archaeological remains dated between 130–45 ka through ostrich eggshell amino acid racemization and Later Stone Age (LSA) archaeological remains dating from around 5 ka through AMS 14C through the period of colonial contact. This paper describes our field methods and offers information concerning site formation and post-depositional processes. In describing the lithic assemblage, this paper proposes two distinct phases of the MSA and subtle change over time in the LSA lithic technology. The earlier MSA phase is characterized by more expedient knapping strategies, the use of local vein quartz, and very low frequencies of end-products. The later MSA phase is characterized by more elaborate core reduction strategies, the exploitation of more distant dolerite, and higher frequencies of technical end-prod-ucts. This report also discusses the characteristics of LSA ostrich eggshell beads, ceramics, and historic objects.