Principal Investigators: Gary Haynes (Professor and Chair, UNR Anthropology Department) and Janis Klimowicz (Adjunct Lecturer, UNR Anthropology Department)
Hwange National Park in northwestern Zimbabwe is about twice the size of Yellowstone National Park in the USA, but, unlike Yellowstone, its archeology and environmental changes have never been studied. The National Park is a virtually roadless wild area that is a sanctuary for over 100 species of mammals, including elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, and more, as well as over 400 species of birds. This scientific project has yielded ample evidence of an unpredicted prehistoric human occupation in the region, ranging in age from Acheulian (middle Pleistocene) to later Iron Age and Recent times.
The project has been ongoing for over a decade. One main focus of study is GIS analysis of archeological site distribution. Lithic analyses also make up a major part of the study. Paleoenvironmental sub-projects are underway to help reveal climatic changes in the region. One sub-project is a study of the relict longitudinal sand-dunes in the Park, which have been profiled and sectioned for stratigraphic analysis and dated by means of optical luminescence. Another sub-project involves tree-ring study and dendroclimatological analyses of the last 300 years.
Additional supporting studies include ethnographic and ethnoarcheological research in rural areas surrounding the National Park. For further information see also the publications by Dr. Gary Haynes at: http://www.unr.edu/cla/anthro/publications2.htm