Archaeological Impact Assessment Farm 109 Dwarskersbos Cape West Coast
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AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE FARM MODDERFONTEIN NO. 28 PIKETBERG Prepared for: FOOTPRINT ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES Att: Mr Charl du Plessis 24 West St Porterville 6810 Email: [email protected] On behalf of: ITAKANE TRADING 151 (PTY) LTD By Jonathan Kaplan Agency for Cultural Resource Management P.O. Box 159 Riebeek West 7306 Ph/Fax: 022 461 2755 Cellular: 082 321 0172 E-mail: [email protected] OCTOBER 2009 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Footprint Environmental Services requested that the Agency for Cultural Resource Management conduct an archaeological assessment of the Farm Modderfontein No. 28. The farm is located about 12 kms north of Dwarskersbos and immediately north of Rocher Pan, on the Cape West Coast. A small development comprising seven `traditional’ West Coast fisherman-type dwellings, is envisaged. However, no specific footprint for the proposed development has been identified, and the archaeological study was commissioned in order to compile an environmental constraints map that would help to identify any potential development areas and to guide any proposed development. The current zoning (Agriculture) of the property allows for the construction of seven dwellings on the farm, but a consent use application must first be made in order for this to be achieved. The property is about 170 ha in extent, but a footprint of less than 1.5 ha will be developed. As a trade-off, the remainder of the property will be rezoned to Open Space III (contractual nature reserve) and incorporated into the Rocher Pan Conservation Area. The focus of the archaeological assessment was on an area that lies between the High Water Mark and about 100-150 m inland of the eastern edge of the pan. The remainder of the farm was not inspected as the assumption has been made that this is not the most desirable or attractive development option for the applicant. All archaeological occurrences identified during the assessment have been plotted, using a Garmin Oregon 300 GPS unit set on map datum wgs 84. The following findings were made: • Thin scatters of dispersed marine shell and low density scatters of stone flakes were documented in the sandy back dunes adjacent the sandy coastline in the southern portion of the farm. • Several large scatters, of white sand mussel (Donax Serra) with ostrich eggshell and some stone artefacts were documented in a large wind eroded hollow and on the steep west facing dune cordon, behind the High Water Mark. • Possible, Late Pleistocene raised beach deposits were found associated with dune mole rat dumps on the edge of the pan in the northern and western portion of the farm. These gritty, shelly deposits are dominated by weathered and bleached, white sand mussel, whelk, limpet, black mussel and shingle. Many of the smaller fragments and pieces of shell and stone are water worn and edge rounded. • A relatively large number of Later Stone Age tools (mainly flakes and chunks) were documented on soft, loose sands alongside the eastern edge of the pan, in the southern portion of the property. A few tools were also found on loose sands in the northern portion of the farm, but the frequencies are very low. 1 • A few stone flakes and chunks were found in the main access track that leads to the pan, as well as in the extreme south eastern corner of the farm alongside the Orex Road According to the botanical report, about 90% of the property is in `good to excellent condition’ and is regarded as ecologically sensitive. The report recommends that the proposed development is situated in a relatively low sensitivity area and proposes a development setback line that is at least 100 m from the eastern edge of the pan, and that all development takes place east of this line. The botanical report also recommends that a single, dedicated footpath across the pan, connecting to a raised boardwalk over the dunes and down to the beach, would also be desirable, in order to reduce trampling and erosion of the dunes. With regard to the proposed development of the Farm Modderfontein No. 28, the following (additional) archaeological recommendations are also made. • A proposed development setback line of at least 100-150 m from the eastern edge of the pan would also minimize any negative impact on archaeological remains that have been documented on the property. It is further recommended that the seven dwellings are located on either side of the main access track, but not more than 50 m to the south of the track. • The position of a raised boardwalk over the coastal dunes must be determined by the archaeologist. • The footprint for the proposed dwellings and (any) proposed new access roads (including services) must be inspected by the archaeologist before any construction work begins. • Should any unmarked human remains be disturbed, exposed or uncovered during excavations and earthworks, these should immediately be reported to Heritage Western Cape (Mr N. Wiltshire 483 9692). 2 Table of Contents Page Executive summary 1 1. INTRODUCTION 4 2. TERMS OF REFERENCE 4 3. THE STUDY SITE 5 4. STUDY APPROACH 8 Method of survey 8 Constraints and limitations 8 Assumptions 8 Results of the desk-top study 9 5. RESULTS OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT 9 6. DISCUSSION 13 7. RECOMMENDATIONS 14 8. REFERENCES 15 Appendix 3 1. INTRODUCTION Footprint Environmental Services on behalf on Itakane Trading 151 (Pty) Ltd requested that the Agency for Cultural Resource Management conduct an archaeological assessment of the Farm Modderfontein No. 28 (Piketberg District) in the Western Cape. A small development comprising seven `traditional’ West Coast fisherman-type dwellings, is envisaged. However, no specific footprint for the proposed development has been identified, and the archaeological study was commissioned in order to compile an environmental constraints map that would help to identify any potential development areas and to guide the proposed development process. The current zoning (Agriculture) of the property allows for the construction of seven dwellings on the farm1, but a consent use application must first be made in order for this to be achieved. The property is about 170 ha in extent, but a footprint of less than 1.5 ha will be developed. As a trade-off, the remainder of the property will be rezoned to Open Space III (contractual nature reserve) and be incorporated into the Rocher Pan Conservation Area. Services, including water and electricity will be obtained from a neighbouring farm (Modderfontein 27) to the north. 2. TERMS OF REFERENCE The terms of reference for the archaeological study were: • to determine whether there are likely to be any archaeological sites of significance on the property; • to identify and map archaeological sites on the property; • to assess the sensitivity and significance of archaeological sites on the property; • to assess the status and significance of any impacts resulting from a proposed development of the property, and • to identify measures to protect and maintain any valuable archaeological sites that may exist on the property A Notice of Intent to Develop (NID) checklist has been completed by the archaeologist and submitted to Heritage Western Cape (Belcom) for comment. 1 These include a house for the `farmer’, a farm manager’s house and five worker houses. 4 3. THE STUDY SITE A locality map is illustrated in Figure 1. An aerial photograph of Modderfontein No. 28 is illustrated in Figure 2. Modderfontein No. 28 is located about 12 kms north of Dwarskersbos and immediately north of Rocher Pan. The farm is about 170 ha in extent and lies between the High Water Mark and the Orex Road (along the Sishen-Saldanha Railway line) (Figures 4-12). The shoreline is characterised by a long sandy beach and a parallel dune cordon, which reaches a height of between 5 and 20 m above present sea level. The property is mostly undisturbed, although a section alongside the Orex road has been cultivated in the past. A large borrow pit is situated in the extreme north eastern corner of the property and a large, modern concrete shed is situated near the south eastern corner, near the entrance to the farm. Apart from a sandy track that cuts more of less through the middle of the farm, and leads to the eastern edge of the pan (an extension of Rocher Pan); the farm is in a fairly pristine state. The surrounding land use comprises Rocher Pan Nature Reserve to the south and vacant land to the north. Inland of the Sishen Saldanha line comprises intensive agriculture (central pivots). Cattle and ostrich graze freely on the property. N Study site Figure 1. Locality Map 5 N Borrow pit Shed Rocher Pan Nature Reserve Figure 2. Aerial photograph of Modderfontein No. 28 Figure 3. View of the site facing south Figure 4. View of the site facing south 6 Figure 5. View of the site facing north Figure 8. View of the site facing south west Figure 6. View of the site facing north Figure 9. View of the site facing north Figure 7. View of the site facing south Figure 10. View of the site facing north west directly east of the vlei 7 Figure 11. View from the borrow pit Figure 12. View from the Orex Road facing alongside the Orex Road facing south west north west. Note the shed in the background 4. STUDY APPROACH 4.1 Method of survey The focus of the archaeological assessment was on an area that lies between the High Water Mark and about 100-150 m inland of the eastern edge of the pan (refer to Figures 7-10). Services including water and electricity will be obtained from the neighbouring farm to the north and this line was also searched.