Sehonghong Fauna

Summary

Photographs in this file relate to the below papers. On the basis of morphological analyses of faunal remains recovered from Sehonghong Rock Shelter, Lesotho, Mitchell et al. (2008) argued that significant numbers of domestic stock were being husbanded by traditionally foraging groups. Nineteen specimens were provided to us for ancient DNA analysis (Horsburgh et al. 2016), and we were able to recover mitochondrial DNA from ten. In only one specimen did the genetic identification of species match the morphological identification. Plug (accepted, Azania) that the morphological identifications are correct, so the genetic identifications cannot be. In the same paper she claims that there are no photographs of the Sehonghong faunal specimens. This claim is made despite having been told by email in July 2015 that the specimens had been photographed. Below, the photographs, annotated with specimen number, morphological information provided to us and, when DNA recovery was sufficient, genetic species diagnosis.

Horsburgh, K. Ann, José Víctor Moreno-Mayar, and Anna L. Gosling. 2016. Revisiting the Kalahari debate in the highlands: ancient DNA provides new faunal identifications at Sehonghong, Lesotho. Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa:1-12.

Mitchell, Peter, Ina Plug, Geoff Bailey, and Stephan Woodborne. 2008. Bringing the Kalahari debate to the mountains: late first millennium AD hunter- gatherer/farmer interaction in highland Lesotho. Before Farming 2/article 4:1-22.

Plug, I. accepted. Reply to Horsburgh et al. 2016: “Revisiting the Kalahari debate in the highlands.” Azania.

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Project Director(s): K. Ann Horsburgh