Elands Bay Cave, Archaeological cave in Elands Bay, South Africa.

Elands Bay Cave opens near the mouth of the Verlorenvlei estuary on South Africa's Atlantic coast. It is a large sandstone overhang whose deposits, excavated from the 1970s, hold stone tools, wood charcoal, shellfish and animal bones. The sequence spans from about 13,600 years ago to recent centuries, with gaps suggesting periods when the site was abandoned.

John Parkington excavated the cave in the 1970s, revealing occupation layers and faunal remains dated from 13,600 to 12,000 years ago. The record shows a hiatus between 8,000 and 4,400 BP, when drier conditions likely led inhabitants to abandon the site.

Excavations by John Parkington in the 1970s recovered wood charcoal, pollen and animal bones that record how cave occupants used the coast. Seal bones studied by Woodborne, Hart and Parkington trace the timing and length of coastal journeys, while shellfish remains show people harvested large quantities rather than selecting only the biggest shells.

The site is accessible during daylight hours without entrance fees, but requires sturdy footwear for walking through the chambers. It makes sense to check current access conditions before arriving, as they can change depending on weather or other circumstances.

Research on wood charcoal, pollen, and animal bones reveals how the region's climate shifted from wet conditions thousands of years ago to the dry environment today. These scientific clues show that environmental change was a central feature of the long human story at this location.