Notes on the Fauna from Three Late Iron Age Mega-Sites, Boitsemagano, Molokwane and Mabjanamatshwana, North West Province, South Africa

This paper discusses and compares aspects of the faunal remains from three large Late Iron Age sites near Rustenburg and Brits in North West Province, South Africa. The sites are associated with Tswana-speaking people. The remains are dominated by domestic animals, but proportions of the different domestic species, and of those of domestic stock and wild animals vary among the sites and units within a site. These variations appear to be linked to the hierarchical status of the sites and of localities within a site. Domestic animal age classes indicate a relatively high mortality rate for young animals. The low incidence of prime breeding animals suggests that these were kept at cattle posts. Apart from herding, wild animals were obtained by hunting, snaring and limited fishing.