Holocene settlement in Namibia was strongly shaped by climate, rainfall and the distribution of water. After the beginning of the Holocene, western Namibia remained deserted or very thinly populated for several thousand years, while renewed occupation in southern Namibia is visible from about 6,500 years ago. In the central and north-western parts of the country, occupation continued more regularly through the later Holocene, whereas the southern archaeological record remained sporadic.

During the dry season, people were tied to scattered springs and seepages sustained by groundwater recharge in mountainous and desert terrain. These locations supported regular hunter-gatherer aggregation, followed by dispersal during and immediately after summer rains, before temporary desert pools dried up. Dry-season sites were often repeatedly used rock shelters, producing a stronger archaeological record than short-lived hunting camps.

Subsistence included a wide range of smaller animals, such as hyrax, tortoises, lizards and occasional antelope. Wild melons and other fruits supplemented animal foods, while pointed digging sticks indicate the exploitation of underground plant resources. Stone assemblages included composite-tool components, crescents and segments hafted into arrows and light spears, as well as grinding stones, pendants and tools for butchery.