New Chronology and Stratigraphy for Kathu Pan 6, South Africa

Kathu Pan 6 (Northern Cape Province) is an open-air site exposed by sinkhole activity that includes a Middle Stone Age Howiesons Poort (HP) component in a stratigraphic sequence that also includes Later Stone Age, early Middle Stone Age, and Earlier Stone Age (Fauresmith) assemblages. Here, we present the dating of the Kathu Pan 6 sequence using multiple luminescence signals: optically stimulated luminescence (blue OSL) and thermally transferred OSL (TT-OSL) on quartz; and the infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) post IR-IR 290 signal on potassium feldspar. The results obtained from analyses of different minerals and signals for the archaeological deposits do not always conform but the quartz OSL provides the most accurate set of ages for the HP at KP6 (between 100 ± 6 and 74 ± 5 ka). This age range places the KP6 HP earlier than any of the scenarios considered plausible by Jacobs and Roberts ( Journal of Human Evolution, 107 , 1–13 2017 ) but fits well with the extended duration for the HP at Diepkloof proposed by Tribolo et al. ( Journal of Archaeological Science, 36(3) 730–39 2009 ) and promoted by Feathers ( Journal of Archaeological Science, 63 , 164–174 2017 ). Two OSL ages bracket the Later Stone Age Wilton industry at KP6, placing it between 5.7 ± 0.3 ka and 2.3 ± 0.1 ka. These fit with known ages for the Wilton and place the KP6 occupation contemporary with Strata 4c–3b at Wonderwerk Cave.