Central Annals of Marine Biology and Research

Commentary *Corresponding author Andrew B. Smith, Department of Archaeology, A Prehistoric Diver on the University of , , Email: Submitted: 09 February 2015 Atlantic Coast of South Africa Accepted: 10 February 2015 Published: 12 February 2015 Andrew B. Smith* Copyright Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, South Africa © 2015 Smith

One of the exciting pathologies to be noted in a 2300 year OPEN ACCESS old skeleton from St Helena Bay on the Peninsula (Figure 1) along the Atlantic Coast of South Africa was that he In April 2010 a human skeleton was disturbed during had ‘surfer’s ear’, a condition resulting from constant immersion excavation of a ditch to lay a pipeline along the coast at St Helena in cold water [1]. In addition, the genomic history of this 50-year Bay (Figure 2), a small township on the coast some 135 km. north old man has shown that he came from a population that no longer of Cape Town. Under a permit (2010/07/003) from Heritage exists on the Cape West Coast. , excavation of the skeleton was duly carried out [2]. Prior to excavation the grave shaft in a shell midden could be seen, due to slight differences in soil colour. Excavation of the

on its right side upon a consolidated dune surface. After exposure (Figuregrave showed 3), the that skeleton the skeleton was removed was lying and in fully samples flexed taken position for radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis. The skeleton was given to the Department of Human Biology at the University of Cape Town where it was studied by Prof. Alan Morris. The skeleton was complete, and proved to be of a 1.5m tall male of age greater than 50 years at time of death. Pathologies included osteoarthritis on one ankle and shoulders, and the bony growth in the ear, known colloquially as ‘surfer’s ear’. Dating Samples of the rib cage from the skeleton and shells from the midden were sent to the University of Georgia Centre for Applied Isotope Studies for radiocarbon dating. The skeleton dated to 2330±25 years (UGAMS 7255), while the midden deposit dated

that the burial took place in an already established midden (thus theto 2930±25 older date). years The (UGAMS date of 7256). the skeleton The significance pre-dates of the the arrival dates ofis domestic animals into the Cape by incoming herders who also exploited marine resources [3]. Genomic analysis The importance of the dates before the arrival of herders into the Cape some 2000 years ago means we can be certain that this individual was an aboriginal coastal forager. mtDNA analysis of a tooth extracted from the skeleton showed it to have a signature of LOd2c [1]. Placing this information in context, no other material along the coast from modern populations exhibits such a signature. The nearest groups showing this are Nama from Northern Namibia, and there is a huge time gap between the two samples sequenced. Modern populations, such as KalahariJu/’Hoanand !XunBushmen Figure 1 Vredenburg Peninsula. from Northern Namibia carry a LOd/LOk lineage. LOk is missing

Cite this article: Smith AB (2015) A Prehistoric Diver on the Atlantic Coast of South Africa. Ann Mar Biol Res 2(1): 1004. Smith (2015) Email: Central

Figure 2 Erf 40 St Helena Bay showing location of excavated skeleton.

Figure 3 View of St Helena Bay skeleton after exposure. south of the Orange River in South Africa. In the Western Cape, in St Helena Bay there have been a series of live-strandings of ‘coloured’ (mixed race) populations present LOd genomes [4]. False Killer shales (Pseudorca crassidens) as well as dolphins This suggests that Southern African west coast may well have in the past 75 years [8,9]. All of these resources would have been previously occupied by a population presenting the LOd2c made an extremely attractive environment for coastal foragers. signature. Our 50-year old ‘diver’ would probably have been focussed on DISCUSSION Jasus lalandii), and possibly octopus. It was previously assumed that the large Turbo and Haliotis The incidence of ‘surfer’s ear’ in this individual suggests he whoseshellfish, shells crayfish are found ( in shell middens, would have been picked spent considerable time submerged in the cold Benguela current up only at spring low tides, since there is no historical evidence shellfish, of of the Atlantic Coast of the Western Cape. This biome is extremely indigenous people using water craft. This individual hints that he rich [5], and may be accentuated in St Helena Bay where studies was actively diving into the sea to get these resources. and pilchards, who mature there before returning to the Agulhas His mtDNA signature is equally exciting. Since he predates showing concentrations of juvenilr pelagic fish, such as anchovy the arrival of Khoe-speaking herders to the Cape we now have a larvae of hake drift inshore in this area [7]. In addition, whales and standard to compare the effects of the arrival of newcomers into dolphinsBank for are spawning common [6]. around In addition, the coast deep today, water and at fish Slipperbaai eggs and the area. There is considerable debate about the consequences

Ann Mar Biol Res 2(1): 1004 (2015) 2/3 Smith (2015) Email: Central of this event revolving around whether the aboriginal hunters of bed communities in the Benguela up-welling system. Helgoländer the Cape took on herding by access to domestic sheep through wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen. 1977; 30: 495-518. internal exchange systems [10,11], or whether there were 6. Shillington FA, Reason CJC, Duncombe Rae CM, Florenchie P, Penven P. incoming Khoe-speakers originating in East Africa who arrived Large scale physical variability of the Benguela Current large marine bringing their sheep with them [12]. The genetic signature will ecosystem (BCLME.) Large Marine Ecosystems. 2006; 14: 47-68. be a key to resolving the arguments. 7. Stenevik EK, Verheye HM, Lipinski MR, Ostrowski M, Stromme T. Drift routes of Cape hake eggs and larvae in the Southern Benguela Current REFERENCES system. Journal of Plankton Research. 2008; 30: 1147-1156. 1. Morris AG, Heinze A, Chan EKF, Smith AB, Hayes VM. First ancient 8. Smithers RHN. Notes on stranding of a school of Pseudorca crassidens mitochondrial human genome from a pre-pastoralist Southern at the Mouth, December 27, 1936. Transactions of the African. Genome Biology and Evolution. 2014. Royal Society of South Africa. 1937; 25: 403-410. 2. Smith AB. Final Report on Excavation of a Human Skeleton and Midden, 9. Best P. Whales: why do they strand? African Wildlife. 1982; 36: 96- Erf 40, St Helena Bay. Report prepared for Power Construction, 101. Blackheath. 2010. 10. Sadr K. The Neolithic of southern Africa. Journal of African History. 3. Smith AB. Kasteelberg: A Pastoralist Sealing Camp in Western Cape 2003; 44: 195-209. Province, South Africa. Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology. 2006; 1: 109-122. 11. Jerardino A, Fort J, Isern N, Rondelli B. Cultural diffusion was the main driving mechanism of the neolithic transition in southern Africa. PLoS 4. Petersen DC, Libiger O, Tindall EA, Hardie RA, Hannick LI, Glashoff RH, One. 2014; 9: e113672. et al. Indian Genome Variation Consortium, Fernandez P, Haacke W, Schork NJ, Hayes VM. Complex patterns of genomic admixture within 12. Smith AB. The Origins of Herding in Southern Africa: Debating the southern Africa. PLoS Genet. 2013; 9: e1003309. ‘Neolithic’ Model. Saarbrücken: Lambert Academic Publishing. 2014. 5.

Velimirov B, Field JG, Griffiths CL, Zoutendyk P. The ecology of kelp

Cite this article Smith AB (2015) A Prehistoric Diver on the Atlantic Coast of South Africa. Ann Mar Biol Res 2(1): 1004.

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