The technology and ecology of Lesotho's highland hunter-gatherers: A case study at Sehonghong rock shelter

Here we evaluate the hypothesis that during cold climatic phases, people and resources became increasingly packed along highland Lesotho's riverine corridors as viability of palatable grasslands for large mammal hunting on upland plateaus declined. These intensification efforts resulted in increased reliance lower-ranked aquatic (fish) with knock-on effects lithic technological organization. We compare data relative contribution fishing to diets hunter-gatherers at Sehonghong rockshelter a faunal proxy widely argued correlate subsistence (faunal assemblage evenness). In addition, these two measures (cutting edge production core reduction intensity) test whether diet tracks intensification. show Sehonghong, resource exploitation is not always correlated evenness. find some layers (i.e. RF) spikes use irrespective changes Other RBL/CLBRF) were intensively occupied, but they do have many fish. Our also demonstrate results suggest while was ‘fallback’ option hunter-gatherers, there considerable variability. multiple dimensions variably combined through Late Pleistocene elsewhere southern Africa.