Sibhudu Cave
BACKGROUND ON THE
SIBHUDU CAVE
National Heritage Site declaration: 18 December 2020
Directions:
At Fairbreeze, on old North Coast road turn inland to Dalton for about 6 kilometres to the sugar farm Sibudu. From shed further along the road from the farmhouse take track down to old pumphouse on Tongati River. Then walk a little upstream to large shelter on bend in river. Elevation:
At Fairbreeze, on old North Coast road turn inland to Dalton for about 6 kilometres to the sugar farm Sibudu. From shed further along the road from the farmhouse take track down to old pumphouse on Tongati River. Then walk a little upstream to large shelter on bend in river. Elevation:
Large rock shelter, sandy floor about 20 feet above river. Within the shelter but out of reach are several smaller ones in the rock face. A few sherds were seen by T. Maggs, collected by Mr Suzor. These were plain body sherds probably of the Later Iron Age and not particularly old. The Durban Museum has sherds and MSA/LSA material from a cave near Tongaat which is probably the same site. The Durban Museum has sherds and MSA/LSA material from a cave near Tongaat which is probably the same site. A few plain body sherds collected by Mr Suzor. The site was visited by Mrs J. Buss on 22/1/1967 who made a surface collection: 3 points of invasive secondary flaking (2 bifacial, 1 unifacial, 2 broken); 1 end scraper (large); 2 hollow scrapers (1 double); 3 side scrapers (1 double); 2 utilized flakes; 22 flakes with faceted platforms, mainly convergent flaking; 63 plain flakes, some convergent; 8 broken flakes; 1 rim sherd of buff ware with dark core, possibly from a globular pot. The points were apparently triangular in shape and about 6 cm long. The MSA material includes lydianite as well as dolerite. Evidently there is later material as well, but most would be MSA. G. Whitelaw note, 30 October 2003: Chrissie Sievers found a small LIA sherd on the surface, decorated with very neat triangular stamping below/above two incised lines.