Lacustrine geoarchaeology in the central Kalahari: Implications for Middle Stone Age behaviour and adaptation in dryland conditions

The Middle Stone Age (MSA) was a time of great human adaptation and innovation. In southern Africa, coastal locations have been viewed as key places for the development resource use behaviour, with dryness continental interior after c.130 ka regarded both an obstacle to occupation limit on behaviour. Newly excavated MSA sites floor now-dry palaeolake Makgadikgadi basin, central Botswana, along accompanying environmental data, provided significant opportunity reassess nature to, behaviour under, dry conditions. Excavated dated 80–72 post 57 reveal purposeful early extensive 60,000 km2 lacustrine basin during dry, opposed lake-high, phases, well highlighting movement strategies tool-making procurement. Findings implications theories mobility innovation, understanding drivers, constraints opportunities drylands. deliberate selective lithic raw materials within artefact manufacture evidences thoughtful conditions lake basin. This research shows that open-air in Kalahari drylands Africa can make important contributions debates surrounding human-environment relationships MSA, challenging narratives hostile largely empty landscape.