Database of Archaeological Bird Skeletal Remains from Schroda, Limpopo Valley, South Africa

Description

The dataset relates to archaeological bird remains from a 10th-11th century AD Iron Age/farming community settlement in South Africa, known as Schroda (site abbreviation: TSR). Edwin Hanisch excavated the bird skeletal remains between 1979 and 1982, and the assemblage is currently housed at the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History, Pretoria. Bird skeletal remains were analysed following archaezoological practices commonly applied across southern Africa. The remains were identified to taxon using the comparative archaeozoology and ornithology skeletal collections at Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, Pretoria. The "Key” tab in the datasheet provides an explanation for the abbreviations and codes used in the dataset. Catalogue numbers refer to individual specimens; the numbers were added to the corresponding specimens in the collection, which can be retrieved for further analysis. Provenience data include excavation area, block, and layer, and archaeological horizon linked to ceramic facies. This dataset was generated as part of Mamabolo's (2025) MA thesis but revised for publication; see Antonites (2018) for more contextual and excavation information. Antonites, A.R. 2018. A revised chronology for the Zhizo and Leokwe horizons at Schroda. Southern African Humanities 31: 223-246 / Mamabolo, K. 2025. An interpretation of bird-human relationships at Schroda, 10th to 11th centuries AD, Limpopo Valley, South Africa. MA thesis, University of Pretoria

Steps to reproduce

See Mamabolo (2025) for a detailed description of methodology; abbreviations and codes are provided in the “Key” tab. Description of preserved zones for each skeletal element follow Serjeantson (2009). Each specimen examined for taphonomic features with handheld lens (10x magnification). Identification of taphonomic instances based on descriptions by Fernández-Jalvo and Andrews (2016). Measurements taken with calipers following Von den Driesch (1976). Fernández-Jalvo, Y. & Andrews, P. 2016. Atlas of Taphonomic Identifications. New York: Springer / Serjeantson, D. 2009. Birds. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press / Von den Driesch, A. 1976. A Guide to the Measurement of Animal Bones from Archaeological Sites. Peabody Museum Bulletin 1. Cambridge, Massachusetts

Institutions

• University of Pretoria

  Gauteng, Pretoria
• Ditsong National Museum of Natural History

  Gauteng, Pretoria

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