THE LATER STONE AGE IN ZAMBIA

1. The Later Stone Age

The Later Stone Age in Zambia developed around 15,000 y.a. and lasted up to about 2,000
ya. Its distinctive feature was the use of microliths. These stone tools were so small that they
could not have been used by hand on their own. Instead, they were used in composite tools.
Handles were made of different materials such as wood or bone. Microliths were then
attached to the handles with animal skin or strings made of tendon. As such the tools were not
made of one material. An important new tool that was also invented was the bow and arrow.
This tool highly increased man’s chances for survival. Other tools typical of this period were
the polished axe and bored stone. The bored stone is said to have been used as a weight for
digging tools.

The human responsible for this age is the Homo sapien. Regional diversification of industries
in this age continues. Two major industries emerged, thus the Nachikufan Industry and the
Wilton Industry. The difference between the two were due to the differences in the
environment in which each of them developed.

The Nachikufan industry is found in the north of Zambia and is named after a cave in Mpika
called Nachikufu. The LSA environment in the north is one of thick bush and woodland
where small game was hunted and a variety of plants and fruits were gathered. The most
important sites of this age in Zambia are the Nachikufu caves, Leopards Hill Cave, Kalemba
Rock Shelter, and Mwela Rocks. Nachikufu was excavated in 1948 by Desmond J. Clark.
Large scrappers and polished axes used for cutting wood are prominent. Bored stones used to
assist in digging roots are also common. Microliths were also being extensively used.

The Wilton Industry on the other hand is found in the south and west of Zambia and is also
found in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. The environment is more open savanna and
flood plains where large game is found. The most important sites in Zambia for this industry
are Gwisho Hot Spring, Mumbwa Cave, and the Zambezi Valley near Livingstone. At
Gwisho a variety of elephant and hippo bones, among others, were found. Bored stones and
polished axes are rare but microliths are abundant. This shows a high reliance on hunting.

Way of Life

The way of life of these species is similar to that of today’s saan, that is, nomadic hunters and
gatherers who were restricted to a certain area for their hunting and gathering. They kept on
moving but reoccupied certain sites after some time. The saan are descendants of the LSA
people. Proof of this comes to us through rock paintings and engravings found in association
with LSA industries. Motives of these paintings vary: mark or record an event, religious
inclinations, depicted way of life, it was also a form of self-expression, etc. These paintings
can be seen as a form of hieroglyphic writing. It shows the development of a more
sophisticated imaginary world and of more complex communication skills. Man’s knowledge
of his environment increased as he was now able to share and discuss this knowledge in
different ways. The paint was made of a colouring agent like minerals (iron oxide), animal
remains (blood, droppings), plant juices or ashes. The colouring agent was added to a liquid
such as egg, fat or honey. The paint was then applied by hand or using some rudimentary
brush.

Prominent sites where rock paintings can be seen in Zambia include Nachikufu Cave, Nsalu
Cave, Nachitalo Hills, and Mwela Rocks. At Chifubwa stream near Solwezi, rock engravings
can be found.