Landscape evolution and hydrology at the Late Pleistocene archaeological site of Narabeb in the Namib Sand Sea, Namibia

A new study sheds light on the Late Pleistocene landscape evolution and hydrology of the Namib Sand Sea (NSS), Namibia, focusing on the archaeological site of Narabeb. The research reveals that standing water was present at this site during two distinct periods: around the transition between Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 7/6 and again towards the end of MIS 6 into early MIS 5. This discovery provides crucial insights into human-environmental interactions in a unique arid environment, offering a foundation for understanding early human adaptive strategies in Southern Africa. The study employed lithic technological analysis, geomorphological descriptions, palaeoenvironmental interpretation of sediments, and luminescence dating to establish the site's chronology. Additionally, it applied quantitative models of aeolian dune accumulation to explore landscape development scenarios, linking Narabeb's hydrological history with speleothem records from Rössing Cave, approximately 90 km north.

Stone, A., Leader, G., Stratford, D., Marks, T., Efraim, K., Bynoe, R., Smedley, R., Gunn, A., & Marais, E. (2024). Landscape evolution and hydrology at the Late Pleistocene archaeological site of Narabeb in the Namib Sand Sea, Namibia. Quaternary Science Advances, 14, 100190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2024.100190