Sibudu Cave, Archaeological rock shelter in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Sibudu Cave is a sandstone rock shelter in KwaZulu-Natal that extends for 55 meters and measures 18 meters in width. The overhang sits on a forested cliff face above the Tongati River and provides protection from wind and rain.
Archaeologists began excavations in 1983 and uncovered occupation phases ranging from 77,000 to 38,000 years ago. The site shows how early humans returned to this location repeatedly over long stretches of time.
Visitors see Middle Stone Age layers showing how people developed their tools and adhesives over thousands of years. The finds document the transition to more complex skills through preserved artifacts in the different deposits.
The site sits 40 kilometers north of Durban and 15 kilometers inland, surrounded by sugar cane fields. Access is through unpaved paths across agricultural land.
Researchers found the oldest known bone needle in the world here, dating back 61,000 years. Wear patterns on the object suggest people used it to pierce animal hides.
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