Amanzi Springs archaeological site

Amanzi Springs is a series of hydrothermal springs in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa that have yielded a series of stratified Acheulian artefacts.

It is one of only two archaeological sites in Africa, along with Kalambo Falls, that has yielded wood in association with early stone age artefacts (Deacon, 1970).

One of the spring eyes (Area 1) was first excavated by Ray Inskeep in 1963.

These excavations establishing thick, stratified Acheulean deposits in both spring eyes, something extremely rare in southern African contexts.

The archaeology from these spring eyes are considered to represent late occurrences of the Acheulian, or perhaps even a rare occurrence in South Africa of Sangoan artefacts (Herries, 2011).

1. Prof Andy Herries standing in the Hilary Deacon Area 1 excavations at Amanzi Springs in 2015.
2. Wood found in association with the Acheulian at Amanzi Springs
3. An MSA artefact from the Amanzi Springs archaeological site in South Africa