Object Listing

Objectives: The overarching goal for this project is to reconstruct the tropic level of southern African Australopithecus and how much meat – compared to plant-based resources – these early hominins consumed in the Pleistocene. These essential deficits of knowledge can be addressed by nitrogen isotopes (15N) studies, because it can inform about the individuals position in the (paleo)food chain. Until now, determination of 15N data was only possible on (hominin) specimens younger than 100,000 years due to the need of large quantities of fossil collagen which were only insignificantly geochemically changed due to postmortem alteration. In recent years, a new biogeochemical method measures 15N values with high precision on extremely small sample sizes, which finally permits to analyze Pleistocene samples, e.g., fossil (hominin) enamel. In cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) in Mainz (Germany), A baseline 15N values of faunal elements which were potentially available to Australopithecus will be established to then ultimately analyze the hominin tooth enamel itself. The new 15N results will be unique and, for the first time, allow the reconstruction of trophic level and meat consumption of hominins from the Pleistocene.

four carved used wooden Tsonga headrersts collected in Mozambique/Limpopo/Mpumalanga by the missionary A.A. Jaques

This permit application is for conducting palaeohistological analyses on the early Pliocene three-toed horse Eurygnathohippus hooijeri and the recently extinct cape zebra Equus capensis, two crucial species during the evolution of equids in Africa. Bones and teeth of both extinct horses will be histologically analysed to estimate key life history traits of the species, including their age at maturity, their growth rate, their age at death and/or their age at weaning. Because life history traits are highly influenced by ecological conditions - mainly predation pressure and resource availability -, the life history data obtained for both fossil equids will be used to reconstruct the ecological context in which African fossil equids evolved.

 temporary export of 7 fragments of microfauna

permanent export of 19 fragments of tortoise carapace

Iron bar/point (B421) from Bosutswe (scale divisions 10 mm)

Iron adze (B425) from Bosutswe (scale divisions 10 mm)

Iron adze (B425) from Bosutswe (scale divisions 10 mm)

Etched section through an iron bar (B421) from Bosutswe, showing fine pearlite (textured) in a matrix of ferrite (light) due to normalisation and air cooling (magnification 90X)

Etched section through an iron bar (B421) from Bosutswe, showing low carbon area with large ferrite grains (white), sparse coarse pearlite islands (textured grey), and globular slag inclusions (black) (magnification 90X).

Etched section through an iron adze (B425) from the surface of Bosutswe, showing martensite due to quenching from a high temperature (magnification 22.5X)

Etched section through an iron adze (B425) from Bosutswe, showing detail of the martensite structure due to structural transformation during quenching (magnification 281X)

Frans OerderAt the well signed 'FD Oerder' (lower right) oil on canvas 45.5 x 31cm (17 15/16 x 12 3/16in).

FD Oerder, 'Na die Maal', oil on canvas,  signed FD Oerder upper left, 140 by 85cm
Provenance:  purchased in 2017 from Johan Kruger, whose father Piet Kruger was mayor of Bethal

Frans David Oerder (South African, 1867-1944)
Village in East Africa signed 'FD Oerder' (lower right)oil on canvas49.2 x 33.2cm (19 3/8 x 13 1/16in).

An oil painting on canvas measuring 75 x 84.8 cm.

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

 temporary export of Glass beads curated at the University of the Witwatersrand

Sample of black paint from body of human figure at Freshwater 4 site.

Sample of black paint from body human figure at Freshwater 4 site.

Sample of black paint from body of human figure at Freshwater 4 site.

Sample of black paint from head of human figure at Freshwater 4 site