Sundays River Valley

Earlier Stone Age archaeological sites in the Sundays River Valley, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

The Sundays River Valley, located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, preserves numerous Earlier Stone Age sites within an extensive terrace sequence.  Cosmogenic nuclide burial dating has determined that three tool-bearing terraces have ages that span from approximately 0.6 – 1.6 million years.  Stone tool preservation at many of the sites is good, with artefacts in a notably fresh condition.  This is due to the artefacts being preserved within the overbank silt and sand facies of the floodplain.

Research in the Sundays River Valley has only recently begun.  Initial results are extremely promising and indicate that extensive research involving numerous disciplines will be needed. Research in the valley is being conducted in conjunction with the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and Purdue University in the USA.