Diepkloof Rock Shelter, Archaeological rock shelter in Western Cape, South Africa.

Diepkloof Rock Shelter is a rock shelter in quartzitic sandstone, about 25 metres wide and 15 metres deep, set in a butte that rises roughly 100 metres above the Verlorenvlei River near Elands Bay, Western Cape. It opens eastward, some 17 kilometres from the Atlantic coast. Excavations cut a trench 16 metres across and 3.6 metres deep through deposits of ash, burnt bedding and organic residues.

Excavations since 1973 have uncovered Stone Age layers that show human settlement over a very long span. Tools and remains point to inhabitants who lived here around 65,000 years ago.

Archaeologists found decorated ostrich eggshell containers here that held water and carried geometric markings. These patterns helped early human groups show their belonging and recognize each other.

Access is usually through organized tours aimed at visitors interested in prehistory. The location requires some preparation, as the site lies outside larger settlements and is reachable only on unpaved tracks.

The shelter's dry deposits preserved wood, grass, seeds and fruits, letting researchers reconstruct the plants around the cave during the Howiesons Poort. Pollen points to thicket species now found mainly in gorges, such as Diospyros and Cassine peragua, and to a more wooded riverine setting than today.