Howiesonspoort

A Middle Stone Age industry of southern Africa's Cape Province. It is characterized by the appearance of small blades, standardized backed tools (e.g. segments), and some unifacial and bifacial points at a time when most stone industries were still based upon the production of flakes struck from discoidal cores. The radiocarbon dates are greater than 40,000 years old. In addition to the type site, the industry has been investigated at Klasies River Mouth, Epi-Pietersburg, and Montagu Cave.

An ill-defined and poorly understood industry of the southern Cape Province of South Africa, marked by the appearance of small blades and backed tools at a time when most stone industries were still based upon the production of flakes struck from discoidal cores. The evidence for the date of the Howiesonspoort occurrences is not conclusive, but some if not most seem to be over40,000 years old. In addition to the namesite, the industry has been investigated at Klasies River Mouth and Montagu Cave.