Elands Bay Museum - Museum Explorer SA

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Located in the West Coast region of the Western Cape, the Elands Bay Museum is a fantastic destination for anyone interested in the history of early human behaviour. This museum was established in 2019 and has recently installed a brand new permanent exhibition. It functions as an Interpretation Centre for the World Heritage Site, known publicly as the Cradle of Human Culture or scientifically as “The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa”. If you are considering a visit its advisable to make contact with the museum beforehand, to ensure that the museum is open to welcome you.

About the Museum

The Elands Bay Museum is dedicated to the rich cultural heritage of the area. It proudly displays exhibitions on the development of modern human behaviour connected to the Cradle of Human Culture, as well as stories from locals. The museum has some wonderful archeological activities that will spike the interest of both young and old. It also serves as a public space for use by the local community.

Cradle of Human Culture

The Elands Bay Museum is part of the Cradle of Human Culture, a series of World Heritage Sites which includes three main archaeological sites: Diepkloof Rock Shelter, Pinnacle Point Site Complex and Sibhudu Cave. These sites display how a suite of evidence for modern human behaviour in Homo sapiens developed in South Africa from 167,000 years ago. The universal significance of Diepkloof Rock Shelter, located about 20km from Elands Bay, will become the specific focus of the Elands Bay Museum.

Elands Bay Cave

The Elands Bay Cave, located in the hills above the Elands Bay harbour, about 5km from the museum, is an extraordinary site with breathtaking San and Khoe rock art. This site was first occupied during the Middle Stone Age, dating back more than 80,000 years, and intermittently during the Later Stone Age until possibly 500 years ago. Rock paintings include large images of eland, regarded by the San as spiritual creatures, as well as smaller antelope and other animals. Most striking are the many small handprints on the cave walls, some of which are believed to be those of children and young teenagers.

Diepkloof Rockshelter

Diepkloof Rock Shelter takes its name from the nearby Diepkloof stream. It is situated between Elands Bay and Redelinghuys and overlooks the Verlorenvlei wetland. The exceptional collection of over 400 intentionally engraved ostrich eggshell, dated to around 60,000 years ago, is amongst the earliest known examples of storage and transport vessels anywhere in the world. These engraved fragments of ostrich eggshells showcase early development of a graphic tradition, the ability of our ancestors to conceptualise patterns and forms that do not exist in nature and the complex use of symbols to mediate social interactions.

Excavated for over 40 years, this site contains one of the most complete and continuous Middle Stone Age archaeological sequences in Southern Africa. This extremely well-preserved record has allowed scientists to reconstruct in detail the lives of our ancestors, the environment in which they thrived, and their adaptation over the course of the millennia to an evolving environment. In addition to the Middle and Later Stone Age deposits, the site also contains rock art dating back to San hunter-gatherers, Khoe pastoralists and the colonial period.

Interesting Facts

Did you know that the San people believed that the eland had special powers and would often go to great lengths to try and capture them?
The Diepkloof Rock Shelter is part of a World Heritage Site known as the Cradle of Human Culture. The World Heritage Site was approved by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in July 2024.

Photo Gallery

Physical Location

Tourist Experiences

Make a trip of it and visit some of the other recommended museums, tourist attractions and experiences in the area.

Conclusion

The Elands Bay Museum is an integral part of the Cradle of Human Culture, which encompasses a range of significant archaeological sites, including the Diepkloof Rock Shelter and Elands Bay Cave. These sites offer a fascinating insight into the evolution of modern human behaviour. Diepkloof Rock Shelter stands out for its outstanding universal significance and will be the primary focus of the Elands Bay Museum. By visiting the Elands Bay Museum and its affiliated archaeological sites, visitors can immerse themselves in the rich cultural history of the region and gain a deeper understanding of our shared human heritage.