Revisited and revalorized: Technological and refitting studies at the Middle Stone Age open-air knapping site Jojosi 1 (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)

Abstract

The Middle Stone Age (MSA) of southern Africa is mainly known from rock shelters and caves. How early modern humans interacted with their landscapes remains comparatively understudied. The site of Jojosi 1, situated north of Nquthu in north central KwaZulu-Natal, is set within erosional badlands, known locally as “dongas.” This locality offers a rare opportunity to study MSA technology and settlement dynamics in an open-air context. A. Mazel initially discovered and excavated Jojosi 1 in 1991, but did not publish the lithic assemblage. Here, we report on the site’s rediscovery coupled with the first lithic analysis and luminescence dating. This work provides insights into the site formation processes of Jojosi 1 and lithic reduction strategies, raw material provisioning, and landscape use. Our techno-typological analysis draws upon Mazel’s collection of 7529 artefacts while combining attribute analysis and refitting studies. The results show the exclusive use of hornfels and its reduction via platform and Levallois methods to produce flakes and blades. Retouched tools are scarce and comprise mostly notched or denticulate pieces but lack backed tools, unifacial, and bifacial points. The museum collection features abundant small debitage and a strong component of cortical, initial stage, and core preparation flakes. The 48 refitted artefacts and ample small debitage in a spatially constricted band suggest high assemblage integrity with minimal post-depositional disturbance. Infrared stimulated luminescence dating of coarse grain feldspars brackets the archaeological occurrence to ~ 139 − 106 ka. Comparisons with contemporary lithic assemblages link the assemblage to the early Middle Stone Age in southern Africa. We interpret Jojosi 1 as a knapping event aimed at blank production and exploitation of local high-quality hornfels. With little evidence for other behaviours, the site likely reflects an ephemeral knapping workshop on a source of abundant hornfels slabs. Our ongoing excavations in the Jojosi Dongas will be able to test this hypothesis and will work to characterise the technological adaptations and settlement dynamics of the MSA hunter-gatherers in this area.