Image: Shutterstock
The San people of southern Africa include several indigenous hunter-gather societies in Botswana, Angola, South Africa, and other countries. Also known as Basarwa or “Bushmen,” the San people have long provided valuable insights into the genetic and archeological history of Africa, and are considered to have been the first inhabitants of what is now Botswana.
Traditionally, scholars have assumed that San culture dated back at least 10,000 years, perhaps as far back as 20,000 years. But a discovery in Border Cave in South Africa has shaken that idea up. The discovery in question consists of a number of tools made from animal parts and various other materials, in a uniquely San manner of craftsmanship, which date back to about 44,000 years ago. This means that the San people are one of, perhaps the oldest continuing culture in the world. Essentially, modern culture began with the San.
The tools include arrowheads designed to hold poison made from castor beans, bones notched to notate the passage of time, and ostrich egg and marine shell bead jewelry. Arrowheads even included the kinds of small marks that the San people use to indicate ownership of a given arrow.
The arrows are especially interesting, as in addition to being almost identical to much later San designs as they are one of the oldest known uses of poisons by humans. They also indicate the oldest known use of beeswax, which was used in the hafting of arrowheads and other tools.
This is a remarkable find, and it could well give us a greater insight into the prehistoric world. Since we now know that San culture has survived for so long, we can get a better picture of at least what life was like in one part of the world 44,000 years ago, and it certainly gives us other things to look for as we continue to explore the development of humanity.