Umhlatuzana rockshelter has an occupation sequence spanning the last 70,000 years. It is one of the few sites with deposits covering the Middle to Later Stone Age transition (~40,000–30,000 years BP) in southern Africa. Comprehending the site’s depositional history and occupation sequence is thus important for the broader understanding of the development of Homo sapiens’ behavior. The rockshelter was first excavated in the 1980s by Jonathan Kaplan. He suggested that the integrity of the late Middle Stone Age and Later Stone Age sediments was compromised by large-scale sediment movement. In 2018, we initiated a high-resolution geoarchaeological study of the site to clarify the site formation processes. Here, we present the results of the excavation and propose a revised stratigraphic division of the Pleistocene sequence based on field observations, sedimentological (particle size) analyses, and cluster analysis. The taphonomy of the site is assessed through phytolith and geochemical (pH, loss on ignition, stable carbon isotope) analyses. The results indicate a consistent sedimentological environment characterized by in situ weathering. The analysis of the piece-plotted finds demonstrates semihorizontal layering of archaeologically dense zones and more sterile ones. There was no indication of large-scale postdepositional sediment movement. We show that the low-density archaeological horizons in the upper part of the Pleistocene sequence are best explained by the changing patterns of sedimentation rate.

Umhlatuzana岩棚有一个占领序列，跨越了70,000年。它是非洲南部为数不多的中，晚期石器时代过渡期（约40,000–30,000年BP）的沉积物之一。因此，了解该地点的沉积历史和占领顺序对于更广泛地了解智人的发展很重要。的行为。岩石掩体最早由Jonathan Kaplan于1980年代发掘。他认为，大规模的泥沙运动损害了中石器晚期和石器晚期的沉积物的完整性。在2018年，我们对场地进行了高分辨率的地质考古研究，以阐明场地形成过程。在这里，我们介绍了开挖的结果，并根据野外观察，沉积学（粒度）分析和聚类分析提出了更新世层序的修订地层划分。通过植硅石和地球化学（pH，灼烧损失，稳定的碳同位素）分析来评估站点的拓扑。结果表明一致的沉积环境具有原位特征风化。碎片图样的分析表明，考古学密集区和较无菌区的半水平分层。没有迹象表明大规模的沉积后泥沙运动。我们表明，通过沉积速率的变化模式可以最好地解释更新世序列上部的低密度考古视野。