Discovery of Stone Age tool in Block 8 stuns Archaeologists
Robert Atangana, a German citizen of Cameroonian descent, stumbled upon the stone purely by chance!
He was digging a hole to bury his dog in a field in Gaborone’s Block 8 suburb when suddenly his eyes fell upon a curious piece of stone.
He picked it up, felt and caressed it with his hands. It did not look like any ordinary stone. He decided to seek a second opinion from friend, Imani Seboni, a filmmaker, the National Museum, archaeologists and even Botswana Guardian newspaper!
Indeed his enquiries confirmed that he had discovered an Acheulian stone tool. One renowned Archaeologist, Malekantwa Mmapatsi gave his verdict after seeing the piece of stone:
“That’s an Acheulian stone tool. Conventionally dated to about 200 to 250 thousand years ago”! Even the Director of the National Museum, Steven Mogotsi confirmed this. However, Mogotsi was quick to advise that it is a protected relic which once found, should be surrendered to the custody of the curator. Yet another archaeologist
Phillip Segadika confirmed it is indeed an Acheulian hand axe dated to about 250 thousand years ago. Asked what the significance of the find was for Gaborone Block 8, Segadika reckoned that the National Museum would look around the location to do what is called “provenancing”. However, he warned that the presence of one or even a couple of stone tools may not necessarily mean that the area is an authentic archaeological site. He said the area would be treated as a potential site until proven otherwise. The issue with Block 8, he said, is that kit has seen the introduction of materials from outside the area during its construction.
“As river sand, pit sand and crushed and other stones are brought here, there will no doubt be introduction of ‘ exsitu’ archaeological objects especially with the known scenario of rampant illegal burrow pit and sand mining that is devoid of the due impact assessments.”
But he posited that if indeed, the tool was found upon digging, there is a high likelihood that the area is an authentic ‘ in situ’ Stone Age site, but added that this can only be validated by test excavations. He said if it is an arch site, then it will be the first reported in that area. There are stone tools reported sites in Notwane River area, the foot of Kgale and Modipe Hills and Kopong and Lentsweletau areas, but not the Gaborone plains such as Block 8. “We can only hope the discovery is the tip of an iceberg that will add to the existing body of knowledge on the choices of sites by Gaborone dwellers over 200 thousand years ago,” he said. Robert Atangana is a Cartoon Director and owner of Studio Basso – Atelier fur trickfilm und mehr’ meaning Studio for Animated Film. He lives with his wife, Eva who he met at Kassel University in Germany, and their four children. He is really happy to have come across this tool. “Touching this distant past with my hands is a blessing and was an indescribable feeling, but knowing more about the people who shaped this stone would be even more wonderful after the work of historians and scientists. This stone was catapulted under my feet from beyond,” he said.
The discovery of this prehistoric stone could contribute to the rewriting of the history of mankind or could contribute to the understanding of the human adventure from the cradle of mankind which is Africa.