Burchell's Shelter

Burchell’s Shelter, located in the Ghaap Escarpment at Campbell in the Northern Cape, South Africa, is an archaeological site of notable interest. The site is a small rock overhang with a shallow deposit containing remains from the late Holocene, primarily from the 19th century. It holds significance as it was documented by the traveller William Burchell, providing an eyewitness account of the last Stone Age hunter-gatherers in the area. This unique historical perspective, combined with the archaeological evidence, offers a dual insight into the transition from a Stone Age hunter-gatherer lifestyle to integration with the local communities in the early 19th century. The shelter exemplifies the intersection of natural environmental features with human habitation and adaptation.