The Rose Cottage Cave is situated on the Platberg about 3 km east of Ladybrand and about 10 km north-west of Maseru in Lesotho. The cave is 20 metres long and approximately 10 metres wide. It is protected by a great boulder that encloses the front of the cave, leav ing a skylight and narrow east and west entrances. The cave was named after the homestead Rose Cottage, which was built at the foot of the Platberg by Mr Fred Rose. Only the foundation of that cottage still remains.Although faded , there is an abundance of San rock art in the cave. Images in the cave include a lioness surrounded by eland, a medicine dance incorporating an upside-down eland and an upside-down human figure , and two freshwater fish.This cave is currently investigated as part of a research programme by the Department of Archaeology, University of the Witwatersrand. The recent excavations which began in 1987, follow two prevIous excavations, the first being between 1943 and 1946 and the second in 1962. Dating of the cultural sequence and reconstructing environments through time are basic aims of the project. Social interpretation is a further aim and this involves the search for elements of cultural modernity in the Middle Stone Age and an attempt to recognise aggregation (large group) and dispersal phase (small group) camps through time, particularly in the Late Stone Age. The study of Rose Cottage Cave offers more than a glimpse into changing cultural sequences and environments during the past 100 000 years . It also offers the opportunity to examine social change through time, particularly through variability in spatial patterns of hearths, artifacts and debris. Several of the Late Stone Age levels may be interpreted as representing aggregation camps on the grounds of formal spatial patterns in which distinct activity areas are demarcated in relation to hearths and other features, as well as manufacturing of artefacts that may have been used as gift items, evidence for long distance exchange, a wide diversity of hunted game, and high densities of artefacts and camp debris. The excavations at Rose Cottage Cave has produced a wealth of stone tools. The collection of Late Stone Age artefacts is one of the largest from a single Southern African site and the sequence is one of the most complete. The Robberg Industry alone contains over 56 000 pieces of worked stone, and the post-classic Wilton Industry contains more than 40 000 pieces.Because of its deep deposits and long and detailed sequence of Stone Age industries, the Rose Cottage Cave is a rare site and of great scientific significance. Few sites in Southern Africa contain such complete sequences and the value of Rose Cottage Cave for the understanding of Southern African prehistory is indeed very significant.
