LETABA – The Kruger National Park has discovered an archaeological site at Letaba, in Phalaborwa, with findings dating back to before the discovery of artefacts at the Mapungubwe Heritage Site.
A team from the University of Pretoria has been excavating the area to find the origins of the tribe or the community who lived there.
Doctor Alexzandra Antonites said the site was discovered in the 1980s but it had only been studied since August last year.
Antonites said the Kruger National Park was playing an important role in persevering the culture, heritage and history of the African people.
The Kruger National Park is working on new archaeological sites that have the potential to be heritage sites in September – which marks heritage month.
So far, they estimate the Indian Ocean trade to have occurred around the time of the Kingdom of Mapungubwe, which is about 1,000 years old.
Meanwhile, the Letaba site showed signs of trade that had taken place at least 1,600 years old.
The project is set to take at least five years to examine the full content of the sites.
Archaeologist Ndoukuyakhe Ndlovu said: “The site excites me a lot because when you think of Kruger National Park, you think of animals. But we want for people to appreciate there is more to the national park.”
Ndlovu said the sites would generate a lot of interest from tourists.
Artmotion S.Africa
