However after attending a lecture presented by the anthropologist Raymond Dart he became fascinated with archaeology and decided to study it at the University of Cape Town.
[1] In 1954, at the age of 25, Mason climbed the Brandberg Mountain in Namibia searching for rock art created by the indigenous San people.
In 1976 the university created the Archaeological Research Unit for Mason and his staff and appointed him Director, a post he held until his early retirement in 1989.
[1] During his career Mason excavated several significant sites including Melville Koppies,[1] Linksfield Ridge,[3] Bruma,[3] and Sterkfontein.
[3] He discovered prehistoric iron furnaces and Tswana villages in Johannesburg and excavated a site in Broederstroom which dates back to 300 CE.