Howieson's Poort Shelter

Howieson's Poort Shelter is a significant archaeological site in South Africa, known for its Middle Stone Age artifacts. The shelter, located halfway up a cliff, provided a natural protection from erosion. It is named after 'Mr Howison', with the spelling error by Stapleton and Hewitt persisting in the archaeological nomenclature. The site is crucial for understanding the development of human symbolism and technology, marking a notable phase in human prehistory. The Howiesons Poort period, lasting from approximately 65,800 BP to 59,500 BP, is characterized by advanced stone tool technologies, including large segments, backed blades, and bifacial points. Although no rock paintings or bone and shell artifacts were found at this specific site, such artifacts are present in other Howiesons Poort period locations. The site's deposits were protected by a rock fall 20,000 years ago, preserving them for modern archaeological analysis.