[1] Other artefacts found in association with these heads include ceramic vessels, iron and copper beads, and bone fragments.

[2] The heads are hollow with thin clay strips added to create facial details.

The skill and thought that went into the designs suggest that they were valued products of a well organised and settled community.

[3] The heads were discovered initially as a surface find[4] by a young boy named Karl-Ludwig von Bezing while playing on his father's farm.

The presence of linear patterned neck rings are postulated to represent a marker of prosperity or wealth, due to their symbolic use throughout time.

The two aforementioned heads constitute the only specimens with small animal figurines, perceived to be lions, mounted on top of them.

This clay peg is postulated to represent the cartilaginous projection usually found in a normal human ear.

Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at the edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks.

Two sets of horizontal notches are located towards the side of the face placed between the outer eye socket and the placement of the ears.

Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at the edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks.

There are two vertical ridges with incised notches located between the eyes and extend toward the upper most portion of the forehead.

1[5] Head # 3 has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings.

Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at the edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks.

A single ridge extending towards the forehead is also notched and curves toward the left side of the face.

There are single notched ridges extending from the eye to the top part of the ear on both sides of the head.

[5] This head has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings.

Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at the edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks.

[5] This head has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings.

Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at the edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks.

[5] This head has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings.

The major difference in this specimen is that the single, vertical, notched-ridge extending from the middle of the eye ridges across the forehead, curves to the right of the face.

[5] This head has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings.

The mouth appears as a protruding snout, that has a downward slope which flares out over the upper most neck ring.

The face of this specimen was created to bulge outwards and down wards with the nose being set low towards the exaggerated lips.

[5] The current speculation surrounding the Lydenburg Heads is that they may have been created to serve ritualistic and or ceremonial purposes including initiation rights.

If so, these heads may represent a significant point in a boy's life such as becoming a man, or ceremonial purposes like memorialising an ancestor.

[5] Researchers suggest that the heads may not have been just disposed of but purposely buried,[9] or destroyed at the conclusion of a specified ceremony,[4] which may indicate their significance.

The heads show characteristics of several different groups throughout the continent including; The Bantu, The Ndebele, and The Bini.