Late Stone Age Tools

The Later Stone Age (LSA) in Namibia spans roughly the last 30,000 years, with most artefacts dating to the past 10,000–4,000 years. This period represents the final phase of hunter-gatherer technology before the introduction of pastoralism and metalworking. LSA tools show remarkable refinement, mobility and adaptability to diverse Namibian environments — from desert margins to mountains and river valleys.

LSA tools are widespread and occur in almost every Namibian region, including:

• Erongo Mountains
• Brandberg
• Ugab & Huab river systems
• ǂNūkhoen (Damara) and San occupation shelters across Damaraland
• Southern Namibia, including the Huns Mountains and ǁKaras region
• Coastal dune margins where ancient campsites occasionally emerge after wind shifts

They are found in rock shelters, open-air campsites, caves, ridge-tops and ephemeral riverbeds.

LSA toolkits differed from earlier periods in their small size, specialisation, and the use of composite tools, in which small stone blades were inserted into wooden or bone shafts.

Common LSA tools in Namibia include:

• Microliths — tiny backed blades used in arrows, knives or barbs
• Scrapers — finely worked tools for hide preparation
• Notched and denticulated pieces
• Small points, often used as arrowheads
• Bone points, awls and spatulas
• Grinding stones and ochre pieces, often associated with symbolic or domestic activity

Raw materials such as chert, chalcedony, hornfels and high-quality quartz were preferred for their predictable flaking properties.

The LSA marks a period of increasing social and cultural complexity among hunter-gatherer groups. Artefacts from this period indicate:

• Bow-and-arrow hunting, replacing earlier spear technology
• Advanced hide processing for clothing
• Symbolic behaviour, including bead-making, engraving, painting and personal ornamentation
• Highly mobile foraging strategies suited to changing climates

Ostrich eggshell beads from the LSA are some of Namibia’s earliest forms of personal adornment and may indicate long-distance social networks.

LSA tool assemblages appear at many well-known Namibian rock-art sites, including:

• Brandberg shelters (near major painting panels)
• Erongo Mountains (alongside fine-line art)
• Ugab terraces, with hearths and stone-tool scatters
• Apollo 11 Shelter, in its uppermost layers
• Riverside camp sites in Damaraland where hearth ash, beads and microliths cluster together

These tools often lie close to rock paintings, indicating a close connection between daily life and ritual practice.

Most LSA tool sites are not formal tourist attractions, but evidence of LSA activity can be seen across Namibia’s landscapes. As with all heritage material, removal of artefacts is illegal.

Guided heritage walks in the Erongo Mountains or Brandberg often highlight small microliths or debris from stone-tool production visible on the ground.