Rose Cottage Cave (RCC) is an archaeological site in the Free State, South Africa, situated only a few kilometers away from Ladybrand, close to the Caledon River, on the northern slopes of the Platberg.

[4] Archaeological research focuses primarily on blade technology and tool forms from the Middle Stone Age and the implications of modern human behavior.

A boulder encloses the front, protecting the cave, but allowing a small opening for a skylight and narrow entrances on both the east and west sides.

[4] Malan excavated a sizable expanse of the upper levels of the site, but only five squares (measured in yards) deep into the MSA layers.

[5] In 1962, Beaumont re-excavated Rose Cottage Cave to collect samples of charcoal for radiocarbon dating, a method not yet developed during Malan's excavations.

Wadley excavated a sizable extent of the site but dismissed her digs in the upper MSA layers to focus on LSA occupation and carry out spatial analysis.

The accumulations substantially include fine-grained opalines, which were likely washed down by mountain streams from the Drakensberg basalts into the Caledon River, located approximately 10 kilometers from the site.

[12] A detailed examination of the sediment peels, coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, demonstrates an abundance of sand- and silt-sized quartz grains.

Deposits of burnt bone, charcoal, lithic fragments, fat-derived char, and ashes indicate that Rose Cottage has rich anthropogenic contributions to the formation of the site.

[13] Evidence of well-preserved bedding and sedimentary structures containing physical remains of fire is rare but is occasionally present in the sediment peels.

Clay-coated artifacts indicate the downward flow of water over the sequence, which is probable reasoning for the poor preservation of bone and ashes at Rose Cottage Cave.

[3] Sand and silt laminae and accumulations of coarse residual material left in the channel by the normal processes of the stream are observable in sediment peels dating from between 60 and 35 ka BP.

[3] This environment explains the fluctuating presence of artifacts in the post-Howiesons Poort layers and implies human activity at Rose Cottage Cave during this period.

During this period, blade technology and tool forms appeared at Rose Cottage Cave, suggesting episodes of ingenuity and innovation.

[18] The properties of the ochre pieces excavated from Rose Cottage Cave from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) indicate evidence of surface modifications.

This evidence suggests that these early artisans did not simply color their pastes red but instead intentionally affected their physical appearance through chemical changes.

Dark-grey, fine-grained deposits, proving rich in organics, are believed to be composed of decaying plant and animal materials likely discarded by occupants.

The C3 sediments from inside the cave must incorporate materials brought into Rose Cottage by its inhabitants, such as edible plants, leaves for bedding, and firewood.

[3] Rose Cottage lies within the Caledon River corridor (measuring about 50 kilometers (30 mi) wide), which, in comparison with the surrounding areas, experiences moderately severe winter frost.

The open rural plains of the cave are mainly drab grasslands strewn with patches of scrub thicket, bush, and rocky sandstone hill slopes.