From 70th century BCE
Lake Nakuru basin and the Gregory Rift, Kenya
The Eburran, formerly called the Upper Kenya Capsian, was a Later Stone Age archaeological industry centered on the Lake Nakuru basin of Kenya’s Gregory Rift. It was characterized by abundant obsidian tools, especially crescents, backed blades, burins, and end-scrapers, together with ostrich-eggshell beads and bone points. Its initial occupation at Gamble’s Cave is dated to the seventh millennium BC. The industry’s phases show changing standards of obsidian workmanship and eventually gave way at the site to an Elmenteitan assemblage.
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The Story
The Eburran was formerly known as the Upper Kenya Capsian and represents one of the most distinctive Later Stone Age industries of eastern Africa. Its most developed form occurred in the Lake Nakuru basin within the Gregory Rift, where obsidian was almost the only raw material used. The quality and size of some artifacts were closely connected to this unusually fine and plentiful stone.
The sequence was initially defined at Gamble’s Cave, south of Nakuru, where three phases—A, B, and C—were reported. Radiocarbon dates place the initial occupation in the seventh millennium BC. Phase B represented the peak of obsidian knapping, while Phase C showed a decline in the standard of stone workmanship and may have been considerably later than Phase B.
All three phases at Gamble’s Cave contained backed blades, crescents, burins, and end-scrapers, accompanied by ostrich-eggshell beads and bone points. Near the boundary between phases B and C, excavators recovered part of a uniserially barbed bone harpoon-head and a single pottery sherd. These finds point to a changing technological and economic setting, although the extract does not establish a complete explanation for the transition.
The Eburran was not sharply separated from the wider East African Wilton spectrum. The latter designation covered generalized mode 5 technological traits, and many assemblages assigned to the Eburran or Upper Kenya Capsian could readily be included within it. Comparative study had not isolated other clearly defined groupings or secure phases within the available East African material.
The specialized setting of the Gregory Rift may have encouraged the development of the industry. Lake Nakuru was then much larger than today and rich in fish, conditions that presumably supported a more sedentary existence than was possible elsewhere in the region. This ecological setting, combined with access to fine raw material, likely contributed to the distinctive character of the Eburran.
The final occupation phase at Gamble’s Cave was represented by an Elmenteitan aggregate rather than by the earlier Eburran assemblage. Elmenteitan differed through the presence of double-edged blades whose bulbs of percussion were often removed, apparently to facilitate hafting. These blades largely replaced the backed blades characteristic of the preceding industry.
The evidence from Gamble’s Cave also illustrates the chronological uncertainty surrounding East African Later Stone Age sequences. Material described as Middle Stone Age occurred above the Upper Kenya Capsian C, but it had never been adequately illustrated or described and might indicate a late survival of mode 3 technology nearby. The sequence therefore records technological change without resolving every question about regional continuity.
From 70th century BCE
Lake Nakuru basin and the Gregory Rift, Kenya
The Eburran, formerly called the Upper Kenya Capsian, was a Later Stone Age archaeological industry centered on the Lake Nakuru basin of Kenya’s Gregory Rift. It was characterized by abundant obsidian tools, especially crescents, backed blades, burins, and end-scrapers, together with ostrich-eggshell beads and bone points. Its initial occupation at Gamble’s Cave is dated to the seventh millennium BC. The industry’s phases show changing standards of obsidian workmanship and eventually gave way at the site to an Elmenteitan assemblage.
Continue exploring
The Story
The Eburran was formerly known as the Upper Kenya Capsian and represents one of the most distinctive Later Stone Age industries of eastern Africa. Its most developed form occurred in the Lake Nakuru basin within the Gregory Rift, where obsidian was almost the only raw material used. The quality and size of some artifacts were closely connected to this unusually fine and plentiful stone.
The sequence was initially defined at Gamble’s Cave, south of Nakuru, where three phases—A, B, and C—were reported. Radiocarbon dates place the initial occupation in the seventh millennium BC. Phase B represented the peak of obsidian knapping, while Phase C showed a decline in the standard of stone workmanship and may have been considerably later than Phase B.
All three phases at Gamble’s Cave contained backed blades, crescents, burins, and end-scrapers, accompanied by ostrich-eggshell beads and bone points. Near the boundary between phases B and C, excavators recovered part of a uniserially barbed bone harpoon-head and a single pottery sherd. These finds point to a changing technological and economic setting, although the extract does not establish a complete explanation for the transition.
The Eburran was not sharply separated from the wider East African Wilton spectrum. The latter designation covered generalized mode 5 technological traits, and many assemblages assigned to the Eburran or Upper Kenya Capsian could readily be included within it. Comparative study had not isolated other clearly defined groupings or secure phases within the available East African material.
The specialized setting of the Gregory Rift may have encouraged the development of the industry. Lake Nakuru was then much larger than today and rich in fish, conditions that presumably supported a more sedentary existence than was possible elsewhere in the region. This ecological setting, combined with access to fine raw material, likely contributed to the distinctive character of the Eburran.
The final occupation phase at Gamble’s Cave was represented by an Elmenteitan aggregate rather than by the earlier Eburran assemblage. Elmenteitan differed through the presence of double-edged blades whose bulbs of percussion were often removed, apparently to facilitate hafting. These blades largely replaced the backed blades characteristic of the preceding industry.
The evidence from Gamble’s Cave also illustrates the chronological uncertainty surrounding East African Later Stone Age sequences. Material described as Middle Stone Age occurred above the Upper Kenya Capsian C, but it had never been adequately illustrated or described and might indicate a late survival of mode 3 technology nearby. The sequence therefore records technological change without resolving every question about regional continuity.