Frank Neumann
North-West University, School of Geo- and Spatial Sciences, Faculty Member
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Waterfall Bluff is a rock shelter in eastern Pondoland, South Africa, adjacent to a narrow continental shelf that limited coastline movements across glacial/interglacial cycles. The archaeological deposits are characterized by... more
Waterfall Bluff is a rock shelter in eastern Pondoland, South Africa, adjacent to a narrow continental shelf that limited coastline movements across glacial/interglacial cycles. The archaeological deposits are characterized by well-preserved stratigraphy, faunal, and botanical remains alongside abundant stone artifacts and other materials. A comprehensive dating protocol consisting of 5 optically stimulated luminescence ages and 51 accelerator mass spectrometry 14C ages shows that the record of hunter-gatherer occupations at Waterfall Bluff persisted from the late Pleistocene to the Holocene, spanning the last glacial maximum and the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. Here, we provide detailed descriptions about the sedimentary sequence, chronology, and characteristics of the archaeological deposits at Waterfall Bluff. Remains of marine mollusks and marine fish also show, for the first time, that coastal foraging was a component of some hunter-gatherer groups’ subsiste...
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Research Interests: Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine, and 8 moreMultidisciplinary, South Africa, Bivalvia, Fossils, Animals, PLoS one, Fresh water, and Feces
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Pollen and fungal spores (aerospora) are the major atmospheric bioaerosols. Aerospora occurrence and concentration vary by geographical region and blossoming period, and with meteorological factors. Allergic respiratory diseases affect... more
Pollen and fungal spores (aerospora) are the major atmospheric bioaerosols. Aerospora occurrence and concentration vary by geographical region and blossoming period, and with meteorological factors. Allergic respiratory diseases affect about 20 million South Africans, with pollen and fungal allergens amongst the leading triggers. Asthma triggered by aerospora can be life threatening; allergic rhinitis causes considerable morbidity and carries financial implications for individuals and health systems. Thus, knowledge about geographical variation, seasonal timing and intensity, as well as annual aerospora fluctuations in South Africa, where climate and vegetation are exceptionally diverse, is essential for effective diagnosis and treatment of allergies. Unfortunately, there is a lack of continuous aeropalynological data from South Africa. The longest annual monitoring exists for Cape Town (~20 years), with almost no data out of the Cape since the 1990s, and many parts of South Africa ...
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Pollen and fungal spores (aerospora) are the major atmospheric bioaerosols. Aerospora occurrence and concentration vary by geographical region and blossoming period, and with meteorological factors. Allergic respiratory diseases affect... more
Pollen and fungal spores (aerospora) are the major atmospheric bioaerosols. Aerospora occurrence and concentration vary by geographical region and blossoming period, and with meteorological factors. Allergic respiratory diseases affect about 20 million South Africans, with pollen and fungal allergens amongst the leading triggers. Asthma triggered by aerospora can be life threatening; allergic rhinitis causes considerable morbidity and carries financial implications for individuals and health systems. Thus, knowledge about geographical variation, seasonal timing and intensity, as well as annual aerospora fluctuations in South Africa, where climate and vegetation are exceptionally diverse, is essential for effective diagnosis and treatment of allergies. Unfortunately, there is a lack of continuous aeropalynological data from South Africa. The longest annual monitoring exists for Cape Town (~20 years), with almost no data out of the Cape since the 1990s, and many parts of South Africa ...
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When applying high-resolution microscopy, the pollen morphology of extant taxa can be used to classify fossil pollen, that is, to address the latter in the established systematic-phylogenetic framework. Here we investigate tetrads and... more
When applying high-resolution microscopy, the pollen morphology of extant taxa can be used to classify fossil pollen, that is, to address the latter in the established systematic-phylogenetic framework. Here we investigate tetrads and pollen features of 20 different Winteraceae species, most of them belonging to the early-diverging generic lineagesTasmannia,DrimysandPseudowintera. The tetrads and pollen are grouped into eleven pollen types based on diagnostic features observed by both light and scanning electron microscopy. The high-resolution scanning electron micrographs of recent material allow detailed comparison with fossil material, resulting in a more accurate affiliation of fossil tetrads/pollen to extant lineages. As a case study, early Miocene Winteraceae tetrads from South Africa are re-examined and formally described. The systematic placement of the African fossils is discussed in light of the pollen types presented here.
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This article presents the role of climate fluctuations in shaping southern Levantine human history from 3600 to 600 BCE (the Bronze and Iron Ages) as evidenced in palynological studies. This time interval is critical in the history of the... more
This article presents the role of climate fluctuations in shaping southern Levantine human history from 3600 to 600 BCE (the Bronze and Iron Ages) as evidenced in palynological studies. This time interval is critical in the history of the region; it includes two phases of rise and decline of urban life, organization of the first territorial kingdoms, and domination of the area by great Ancient Near Eastern empires. The study is based on a comparison of several fossil pollen records that span a north-south transect of 220 km along the southern Levant: Birkat Ram in the northern Golan Heights, Sea of Galilee, and Ein Feshkha and Ze'elim Gully both on the western shore of the Dead Sea. The vegetation history and its climatic implications are as follows: during the Early Bronze Age I (∼3600–3000 BCE) climate conditions were wet; a minor reduction in humidity was documented during the Early Bronze Age II–III (∼3000–2500 BCE). The Intermediate Bronze Age (∼2500–1950 BCE) was character...
Research Interests: Archaeology, Geochemistry, Paleoclimatology, Levantine Archaeology, Paleoenvironment, and 15 morePaleoecology, Palynology, Bronze Age Archaeology, Radiocarbon, Paleoenvironmental Change, Late Bronze Age archaeology, Paleoclimate, Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age, Early Iron Age, Geoarchaeology and Paleoenvironmental Reconstructions, Archaeology of the Southern Levant, Middle Bronze Age Southern Levant, Late Bronze Age Early Iron Age, and Past Environments
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The history of lake-level changes at the Dead Sea during the Holocene was determined mainly by radiocarbon dating of terrestrial organic debris. This article reviews the various studies that have been devoted over the past 2 decades to... more
The history of lake-level changes at the Dead Sea during the Holocene was determined mainly by radiocarbon dating of terrestrial organic debris. This article reviews the various studies that have been devoted over the past 2 decades to defining the Dead Sea levels during the Bronze and Iron Ages (≃5.5 to 2.5 ka cal BP) and adds new data and interpretation. In particular, we focus on research efforts devoted to refining the chronology of the sedimentary sequence in the Ze'elim Gully, a key site of paleoclimate investigation in the European Research Council project titled Reconstructing Ancient Israel. The Bronze and Iron Ages are characterized by significant changes in human culture, reflected in archaeological records in which sharp settlement oscillations over relatively short periods of time are evident. During the Early Bronze, Intermediate Bronze, Middle Bronze, and Late Bronze Ages, the Dead Sea saw significant level fluctuations, reaching in the Middle Bronze an elevation ...
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Research Interests: Geology, Sea Level, Sea surface temperature, Iron Age, South Africa, and 15 moreglobal Climate change, Radiocarbon Dating, Land Use, Late Holocene, Water Table, Little Ice Age, Vegetation history, Human impact, Southern Hemisphere, Zea mays, Sedimentation Rate, Vegetation Change, Holocene Thermal Maximum, Climatic condition, and dry period
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Title: Late Holocene paleoclimate records from Lakes Sibaya and Verlorenvlei, South Africa. Authors: Stager, J. Curt; Neumann, Frank; Chase, Brian M.; Meadows, Michael E.; Fitzpatrick,Jason; Hazzard, Matt; King, Christiaan; Madson,... more
Title: Late Holocene paleoclimate records from Lakes Sibaya and Verlorenvlei, South Africa. Authors: Stager, J. Curt; Neumann, Frank; Chase, Brian M.; Meadows, Michael E.; Fitzpatrick,Jason; Hazzard, Matt; King, Christiaan; Madson, Jerome; White, Jay. ...
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Research Interests: Geology and Palynology
This paper summarizes the results of a recent survey of the South African “Wild Coast” in Pondoland, Eastern Cape Province. The purpose of the survey was to locate and to describe coastal caves and rock shelters that may contain Early and... more
This paper summarizes the results of a recent survey of the South African “Wild Coast” in Pondoland, Eastern
Cape Province. The purpose of the survey was to locate and to describe coastal caves and rock shelters that may
contain Early and Middle Stone Age archaeological deposits for future study. The study is part of a much larger
research design to understand three basic and interlinked paleoanthropological questions: When did coastal intertidal
foraging develop? How did it develop? What role did coastal intertidal foods have on the evolution and
survival of early modern humans?
Here, we provide the full results of our multi-disciplinary survey. We describe the archaeology, geology, marine,
and terrestrial fauna from four near-coastal rock shelters and one coastal open-air site that we intend to test
in the future. We also provide the first direct ages of the coastal red sands that contain in situ Early Stone Age
Acheulian and early Middle Stone Age flaked stone tools. These optically stimulated luminescence ages show that
humans have inhabited Pondoland for over 300,000 years, predating the currently known origins of the modern
human lineage and systematic coastal foraging. We also describe the first dated paleoenvironmental sequences
for Pondoland, which suggest a shift from C3 to C4 vegetation during the middle Holocene. Lastly, we provide
comprehensive notes on all sites in Supplementary Online Materials to benefit future studies across the region and
document an area that has seen very limited archaeological research.
Cape Province. The purpose of the survey was to locate and to describe coastal caves and rock shelters that may
contain Early and Middle Stone Age archaeological deposits for future study. The study is part of a much larger
research design to understand three basic and interlinked paleoanthropological questions: When did coastal intertidal
foraging develop? How did it develop? What role did coastal intertidal foods have on the evolution and
survival of early modern humans?
Here, we provide the full results of our multi-disciplinary survey. We describe the archaeology, geology, marine,
and terrestrial fauna from four near-coastal rock shelters and one coastal open-air site that we intend to test
in the future. We also provide the first direct ages of the coastal red sands that contain in situ Early Stone Age
Acheulian and early Middle Stone Age flaked stone tools. These optically stimulated luminescence ages show that
humans have inhabited Pondoland for over 300,000 years, predating the currently known origins of the modern
human lineage and systematic coastal foraging. We also describe the first dated paleoenvironmental sequences
for Pondoland, which suggest a shift from C3 to C4 vegetation during the middle Holocene. Lastly, we provide
comprehensive notes on all sites in Supplementary Online Materials to benefit future studies across the region and
document an area that has seen very limited archaeological research.
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Waterfall Bluff, in Eastern Mpondoland (Eastern Cape Province, South Africa), is a recently excavated archaeological site with deposits spanning Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 to the Middle Holocene. Here, we present preliminary results of... more
Waterfall Bluff, in Eastern Mpondoland (Eastern Cape Province, South Africa), is a recently excavated archaeological site with deposits spanning Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 to the Middle Holocene. Here, we present preliminary results of a multi-proxy palaeoenvironmental study combining macro-botanical remains, charcoal, phytoliths, pollen and plant waxes derived from the same archaeological record. We aim to understand the interactions between hunter-gatherer plant foraging and climate and environmental change in coastal Mpondoland from MIS 3 to the Early Holocene at Waterfall Bluff. The charcoal and pollen records at Waterfall Bluff show the gathering of a variety of woody taxa characterised by their combustion and medicinal properties (e.g., Millettia grandis and Apodytes dimidiate). The leaves identified in the macrobotanics and in the phytolith record might belong to some of these taxa and it is likely that they were used for medicinal purposes. From a palaeoenvironmental perspective, our results indicate low precipitation and low rainfall seasonality under cool conditions during MIS 3 and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Under these conditions, open woodlands interspersed with dry and hygrophilous grasslands and bushveld vegetation with significant representation of fynbos elements occurred in the local landscapes probably along Podocarpus/Afrocarpus forests. The latter could have been (1) present along river valleys and scarps on the Mpondoland exposed continental shelf towards the south and west of Waterfall Bluff, supported by palaeo-rivers and cool temperatures favouring low evapotranspiration, or (2) present in the interior with pollen grains possibly transported to the site by intensified westerly winds. These forests contracted as a result of the post-glacial marine transgression or reduced westerlies following the LGM. During the Early Holocene, the palaeoenvironmental signal points to higher summer rainfall and higher (summer) seasonality than during MIS 3, the LGM and the LGIT. These changes are coeval with an increase of coastal forests and C 4 mesic grasslands with localized wetland vegetation around Waterfall Bluff. These multi-proxy archaeobotanical and biochemical data show that landscapes surrounding Waterfall Bluff changed in relation to marine transgressions/regressions and changes in rainfall intensity and seasonality. The people of Waterfall Bluff foraged the coasts during glacial periods to collect wood.
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Waterfall Bluff is a rock shelter in eastern Pondoland, South Africa, adjacent to a narrow continental shelf that limited coastline movements across glacial/interglacial cycles. The archaeological deposits are characterized by... more
Waterfall Bluff is a rock shelter in eastern Pondoland, South Africa, adjacent to a narrow continental shelf that limited coastline movements across glacial/interglacial cycles. The archaeological deposits are characterized by well-preserved stratigra-phy, faunal, and botanical remains alongside abundant stone artifacts and other materials. A comprehensive dating protocol consisting of 5 optically stimulated luminescence ages and 51 accelerator mass spectrometry 14 C ages shows that the record of hunter-gatherer occupations at Waterfall Bluff persisted from the late Pleistocene to the Holocene, spanning the last glacial maximum and the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. Here, we provide detailed descriptions about the sedimen-tary sequence, chronology, and characteristics of the archaeological deposits at Waterfall Bluff. Remains of marine mollusks and marine fish also show, for the first time, that coastal foraging was a component of some hunter-gatherer groups' subsistence practices during glacial phases in the late Pleistocene. The presence of marine fish and shellfish further demonstrates that hunter-gatherers selectively targeted coastal resources from intertidal and estuarine habitats. Our results therefore underscore the idea that Pondoland's coastline remained a stable and predictable point on the landscape over the last glacial/inter-glacial transition being well positioned for hunter-gatherers to access resources from the nearby coastline, narrow continental shelf, and inland areas.
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This paper contains detailed supplementary data for the P5 archaeological reconnaissance in Pondoland, South Africa