Sample name: Shum Laka rock shelter (Lower Horizon; ochre ash)

Reference: P. Lavachery. 2001. The Holocene archaeological sequence of Shum Laka rock shelter (Grassfields, western Cameroon). African Archaeological Review 18(4):213-247 [ER 3768]

Lithology: ash

Taphonomic context: human accumulation,rock shelter

Archaeology: stone tools

Habitat comments: "Shum Laka rock shelter covers a surface area of 1200 m2 and contains three main stratigraphic units. The Holocene deposits consist mainly of anthropogenic ashes known as the “A” layer: a lens-shaped mantle that dips from the back to the opening of the cave. It is divided into two members: the ochre ash layer and the gray ash layer".
The only artefacts collected from the Lower Horizon of the ochre ash layer are stone tools. "Of the part of the industry studied, more than 65% is on quartz. Flaking methods are unspecialized and the flake component, whatever the raw material, is very poor. Almost all of the assemblage is of microlithic proportions (less than 3 cm)".

Life forms: carnivores,primates,rodents,ungulates,snails

Sampling methods: quarry

Sample size: 26 specimens

Sampling comments: "A total of 82 m2 of the rock shelter was excavated, opened in two main areas: Sector 1 (in the centre and back of the shelter) and Sector 2 (closer to the entrance). Because of a lack of any finer exploitable stratigraphical features in the very loose ash layers, the excavation proceeded by artificial horizontal spits. In total, the excavations recovered half a million stone artifacts, over 1200 pottery sherds, 18 human skeletons, and thousands of faunal and plant remains".

Sample number: 4035

Contributor: Benjamin Carter

Enterer: Benjamin Carter

Created: 2022-10-28 11:50:43

Modified: 2023-05-30 03:09:37