The Gwisho Hot Springs occur along a geological fault line in Zambia, Africa. Lush vegetation and vegetable ivory palms surround the Springs. Temperatures usually range from 60°-90 °C. The water that runs through the hot springs has many different kinds of elemental deposits. These deposits have helped in the preservation of the artifacts that were found at this site.
Excavation of the hot springs began on three different settlements from 1960 –1964. Thirty skeletons along with other occupation material were found. The sites were first investigated by Creighton Gabel, and then later by Brian Fagan and Francis Van Noton. Carbon dating was the technique used to determine the age of the site and it’s artifacts,between 2800-1700 B.C.
The Artifacts found at these sites suggests many aspects of the daily lives of this early hunter-gatherers. The hunters lived in bands on small camping sites. Their houses were small windbreaks comprised of grasses and sticks. The dead were buried within the settlement in shallow graves on the tops of low mounds. This is where most of the artifacts were concentrated. Other items found at the excavation sites include materials from the stone industry, animal bones, vegetable remains, grasses, twigs, fruits, nuts, and wooden tools.
Since the springs was a inundated flood plain, this was an ideal place for Late Stone Age Hunters. A wide variety of animals were hunted and was the prime source of meat. No evidence of domesticated animals was found. Many of the bigger game were brought down with tiny poisoned arrows. Also, grinding stones and rubbers were found.These identified the importance of vegetables in their diets.
Fagan, Brian M. ed. “A Short History of Zambia: From the Earliest Times Until 1900 A.D.” Oxford: Nairobi, 1966.
Hall, Richard. “Zambia.” Praeger: New York, 1965.
"Lochinvar National Park" Africa In Sites: Guide to Zambia http://http://www.zambiatourism.com/travel/nationalparks/lochinva.htm
Written By: Kari Beese