PALEOLEBA
Stone Age Cultures, Human Adaptation and Landscape Change at the Namib–Humpata Interface, Southwestern Angola
Africa is central to understanding the emergence and evolution of Homo sapiens, yet major regions of the continent remain poorly represented in current models of human evolution. Southwestern Angola is one of these regions. Located between the Namib Desert, the Great Escarpment and the highlands of the Humpata Plateau, our research area is a landscape that preserves a remarkable but still underexplored record of human occupation, environmental change and faunal evolution.
PALEOLEBA investigates the deep human past of southwestern Angola by integrating archaeological excavation, landscape survey, cave exploration, museum collections and multidisciplinary laboratory research. The project focuses on the relationship between human populations and changing environments across the Namib–Humpata interface, from the caves and fossiliferous deposits of the highlands to the open-air Stone Age sites of the semi-arid lowlands.
Since 2018, the project has conducted archaeological excavations at Leba Cave, systematic exploration and mapping of the Humpata caves, the study of Plio-Pleistocene fossiliferous breccias, research on open-air sites in Namibe Province and the reassessment of archaeological and palaeontological collections preserved in museums in Angola and Portugal.
THE NAMIB-HUMPATA INTERFACE
The western escarpment of southwestern Angola creates one of the most striking ecological gradients in Atlantic Africa. Within a relatively short distance, the landscape rises from the arid and semi-arid plains of the northern Namib Desert to the highlands of Huíla – the Leba-Chela Mountains. Caves, valleys, river terraces, inselbergs and open-air archaeological sites are distributed across this transition.
This environmental diversity makes the region particularly important for investigating the long-term relationship between human populations and landscape change. The archaeological record includes Early, Middle and Later Stone Age occupations, while the caves and fissures of the Humpata Plateau preserve paleontological and sedimentary archives extending considerably further into the past.
PALEOLEBA approaches this region as a connected cultural and ecological landscape. Rather than studying individual archaeological sites in isolation, the project investigates how raw materials, water availability, topography, caves, river systems and changing climatic conditions influenced the movement and settlement of human groups through time.
The project, therefore, asks a fundamental question: How did human populations adapt to one of the strongest environmental gradients on the Atlantic side of Africa?
The research area extends from the Humpata and Serra da Leba highlands towards Kapangombe and the interior margins of the northern Namib Desert. Published survey work has already demonstrated the exceptional concentration of Stone Age sites and fossil-bearing caves preserved across this region.
This environmental diversity makes the region particularly important for investigating the long-term relationship between human populations and landscape change. The archaeological record includes Early, Middle and Later Stone Age occupations, while the caves and fissures of the Humpata Plateau preserve paleontological and sedimentary archives extending considerably further into the past.
PALEOLEBA approaches this region as a connected cultural and ecological landscape. Rather than studying individual archaeological sites in isolation, the project investigates how raw materials, water availability, topography, caves, river systems and changing climatic conditions influenced the movement and settlement of human groups through time.
The project, therefore, asks a fundamental question: How did human populations adapt to one of the strongest environmental gradients on the Atlantic side of Africa?
The research area extends from the Humpata and Serra da Leba highlands towards Kapangombe and the interior margins of the northern Namib Desert. Published survey work has already demonstrated the exceptional concentration of Stone Age sites and fossil-bearing caves preserved across this region.
LEBA CAVE AND THE HUMPATA KARST
The Humpata Plateau contains an extensive karst landscape developed principally in the dolomitic formations of the region. Caves, fissures, fossiliferous breccias and remnant cave deposits preserve evidence for changing landscapes, animal communities and human occupation.
The first archaeological and palaeontological investigations in the region date to the twentieth century. Renewed research began with the development of PALEOLEBA and the resumption of archaeological excavation at Leba Cave in February 2018.
Leba Cave is one of the most important Stone Age sites known in Angola. Earlier investigations recovered Middle Stone Age archaeological materials, but the chronology, formation processes and relationships between the different excavation areas remained poorly understood. The renewed research programme combines archaeological excavation with the reconstruction of the cave’s sedimentary architecture and long-term infilling history.
The first archaeological and palaeontological investigations in the region date to the twentieth century. Renewed research began with the development of PALEOLEBA and the resumption of archaeological excavation at Leba Cave in February 2018.
Leba Cave is one of the most important Stone Age sites known in Angola. Earlier investigations recovered Middle Stone Age archaeological materials, but the chronology, formation processes and relationships between the different excavation areas remained poorly understood. The renewed research programme combines archaeological excavation with the reconstruction of the cave’s sedimentary architecture and long-term infilling history.
Current work investigates three principal dimensions of the site:
Beyond Leba Cave, PALEOLEBA surveys and documents the wider Humpata karst, including the valleys and cave systems of Tchíua, Malola, Ufefua, Tchivinguiro and Cangalongue. Earlier survey phases documented at least 45 caves within a wider inventory of more than 60 locations of archaeological, palaeontological or geoheritage interest.
Some of these deposits preserve fossiliferous breccias considerably older than the Stone Age occupations of Leba Cave. The broader research programme therefore, increasingly connects the archaeology of human evolution with the Plio-Pleistocene faunal record of the Humpata Plateau.
- The archaeological sequence: Excavations document repeated episodes of human and animal use extending from the Early Stone Age into later prehistoric periods. Lithic technology, spatial distributions, fauna and combustion features are studied together to reconstruct how and when the cave was occupied.
- The formation of the cave deposits: Geoarchaeological research examines sediment sources, erosion, redeposition, cave hydrology and post-depositional processes. This is essential for distinguishing human activity from natural accumulation and for establishing which archaeological and fossil materials remain in primary context.
- The chronological framework: The project integrates stratigraphy with geochronological methods to establish the timing of human occupation and cave formation. Particular attention is given to the Early and Middle Stone Age and to the role of southwestern Angola in broader discussions of technological change during the Middle Pleistocene.
Beyond Leba Cave, PALEOLEBA surveys and documents the wider Humpata karst, including the valleys and cave systems of Tchíua, Malola, Ufefua, Tchivinguiro and Cangalongue. Earlier survey phases documented at least 45 caves within a wider inventory of more than 60 locations of archaeological, palaeontological or geoheritage interest.
Some of these deposits preserve fossiliferous breccias considerably older than the Stone Age occupations of Leba Cave. The broader research programme therefore, increasingly connects the archaeology of human evolution with the Plio-Pleistocene faunal record of the Humpata Plateau.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
A primary objective of PALEOLEBA is to establish an integrated chronological, cultural and environmental framework for the archaeological and palaeontological archives of southwestern Angola. The project combines detailed stratigraphic analysis with multiple approaches to absolute dating to situate sites and assemblages within a reliable temporal sequence. Particular attention is given to the Middle Pleistocene, a period of major technological and behavioural change across Africa that remains poorly documented along the Atlantic regions of the continent. Establishing a secure chronology is therefore essential for testing relationships between Leba Cave, Capangombe and other sites of the Namib–Humpata interface, moving beyond comparisons based primarily on artefact typology.
Within this chronological framework, PALEOLEBA investigates how Stone Age technologies changed through time and across contrasting landscapes. Lithic assemblages are analysed through technological and attribute-based approaches to reconstruct raw-material selection, reduction sequences, tool production and patterns of artefact use and discard. This work examines whether the early Middle Stone Age of southwestern Angola developed distinctive regional characteristics and explores its possible relationships with technological developments elsewhere in southern and central Africa.
Within this chronological framework, PALEOLEBA investigates how Stone Age technologies changed through time and across contrasting landscapes. Lithic assemblages are analysed through technological and attribute-based approaches to reconstruct raw-material selection, reduction sequences, tool production and patterns of artefact use and discard. This work examines whether the early Middle Stone Age of southwestern Angola developed distinctive regional characteristics and explores its possible relationships with technological developments elsewhere in southern and central Africa.
The archaeological record is considered inseparable from the landscapes and depositional processes through which it was created and preserved. PALEOLEBA therefore integrates archaeology with geoarchaeology, sedimentology, cave research, palaeontology and palaeoenvironmental science to reconstruct long-term environmental change, site formation and preservation across the Namib–Humpata interface. By linking archaeological occupations to changing caves, valleys, sedimentary systems and ecological conditions, the project seeks to understand how human populations responded to one of the most marked environmental gradients in southwestern Africa.
A further defining element of PALEOLEBA is the integration of new field research with archaeological and palaeontological collections preserved in Angola and Portugal. Historical assemblages from Leba, Tchíua and Capangombe contain extensive evidence that has remained only partially studied or unpublished for decades. Their reassessment makes it possible to reconstruct the history of earlier research, recover information from dispersed archives and collections, reassess lost or poorly understood archaeological contexts, and return scientifically important materials to current debates on African human evolution. This work is closely connected to the documentation, study and protection of archaeological and geoheritage resources in collaboration with Angolan institutions, students and local communities. The partnership with the Instituto Nacional do Património Cultural (INPC) is particularly important for the research and protection of Gruta da Leba, classified as Património de Interesse Nacional, and for the development of responsible and sustainable approaches to the management of archaeological, palaeontological and cave heritage.
A further defining element of PALEOLEBA is the integration of new field research with archaeological and palaeontological collections preserved in Angola and Portugal. Historical assemblages from Leba, Tchíua and Capangombe contain extensive evidence that has remained only partially studied or unpublished for decades. Their reassessment makes it possible to reconstruct the history of earlier research, recover information from dispersed archives and collections, reassess lost or poorly understood archaeological contexts, and return scientifically important materials to current debates on African human evolution. This work is closely connected to the documentation, study and protection of archaeological and geoheritage resources in collaboration with Angolan institutions, students and local communities. The partnership with the Instituto Nacional do Património Cultural (INPC) is particularly important for the research and protection of Gruta da Leba, classified as Património de Interesse Nacional, and for the development of responsible and sustainable approaches to the management of archaeological, palaeontological and cave heritage.
THE TEAM
Researchers
Cleia Detry, UNIARQ, Universidade de Lisboa
Paula do Nascimento, UNIARQ, Universidade de Lisboa
Emanuel Caboco, Instituto Nacional do Património Cultural, Angola
José Fernandes, IPH/Universidade Mandume Ya Ndemufayo, Angola
Evandra Mata, Universidade Agostinho Neto, Angola
David Nora, ICAREHB/UAlg & Universidade de Haifa, Israel
Theodorus Karampaglidis, Universidade Castilla-La Mancha, Espanha
Eslem Ben Arous, CNRS/Universidade de Bordéus, França
Roshan Paladugu, Max Planck Institute Leipzig, Alemanha
Chantal Tribolo, CNRS/ Universidade de Bordéus, França
Susan Mentzer, INA/ Universidade de Tübingen, Alemanha
Cleia Detry, UNIARQ, Universidade de Lisboa
Paula do Nascimento, UNIARQ, Universidade de Lisboa
Emanuel Caboco, Instituto Nacional do Património Cultural, Angola
José Fernandes, IPH/Universidade Mandume Ya Ndemufayo, Angola
Evandra Mata, Universidade Agostinho Neto, Angola
David Nora, ICAREHB/UAlg & Universidade de Haifa, Israel
Theodorus Karampaglidis, Universidade Castilla-La Mancha, Espanha
Eslem Ben Arous, CNRS/Universidade de Bordéus, França
Roshan Paladugu, Max Planck Institute Leipzig, Alemanha
Chantal Tribolo, CNRS/ Universidade de Bordéus, França
Susan Mentzer, INA/ Universidade de Tübingen, Alemanha
COLLABORATIONS
Museu de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa
Universidade Mandume Ya Ndemufayo, Angola
Instituto Nacional do Património Cultural, Angola
Museu Regional da Huíla, Angola
Museu Nacional de História Natural de Angola
Institute for Archaeological Sciences, Universidade de Tübingen
Museu Nacional de História Natural de França
CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa
Max Planck Institute Leipzig, Alemanha
Museu de História Natural Americano, EUA
Universidade Mandume Ya Ndemufayo, Angola
Instituto Nacional do Património Cultural, Angola
Museu Regional da Huíla, Angola
Museu Nacional de História Natural de Angola
Institute for Archaeological Sciences, Universidade de Tübingen
Museu Nacional de História Natural de França
CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa
Max Planck Institute Leipzig, Alemanha
Museu de História Natural Americano, EUA
FUNDING BODIES
Foundation for Science and Technology, PT: “Middle Stone Age hunter-gatherers at the escarpment of Southwest Angola” (2023.08165.CEECIND)
|
|
|
|
Wenner-Gren Foundation, USA: “The early Middle Stone Age in the Northern Namib Desert” (Gr. 10852)
PARTNERSHIPS
|
|
|
SELECTED REFERENCES
2026 – Pickford, Martin; de Matos, Daniela. Descriptive Catalogue of Pliocene cercopithecoid Fossils (Primates, Mammalia) from the Humpata Plateau, Angola. Munich: Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil.
2026 – Ferreira, S.S.; de Matos, D. "The history of public museums in Angola". Museum History Journal (2026): https://doi.org/10.1080/19369816.2025.2584803.
2025 – Ben Arous, E., Blinkhorn, J.A., Elliott, S. et al. Humans in Africa’s wet tropical forests 150 thousand years ago. Nature 640, 402–407 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08613-y
2023 – Pereira, T., Oosterbeek, L., Pleurdeau, D., Camara, A., Boccum, H., Thiam, D., Alabi, R. A., Kote, L., Tougba, L., Benjamin, M.H., Nankela, A., de Matos, D. The Middle Stone Age of Atlantic Africa: a critical review, L’Anthropologie https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103209
2023 – Piquete, V., Pereira, T., Cunha-Ribeiro, J.P. & De Matos, D. Early or Middle Stone Age? The lithic assemblage of Capangombe – Santo António, Namibe Province (Angola), L’Anthropologie https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103214.
2023 – de Matos, D., Nora, D., Francisco, R., Fernandes, J., Neto, M.S., Robakiewicz, E Survey and Explorations of the Prehistoric Sites in the Highlands of Southwest Angola. Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology 6, 25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41982-023-00152-0
2021 – de Matos, D., Francisco, R., Fernandes, J., Robakiewicz, E., & Barros, B. A paisagem cársica do Sudoeste de Angola. Primeira abordagem ao património subterrâneo da Formação Leba. Revista Angolana de Geociências: 2 (1). Universidade Agostinho Neto. http://revista.cicga- uan.co.ao/index.php/RAG/article/view/24
2021 – de Matos, D., Senna-Martinez, J.C, Martins, A.C., Pinto, I., Godinho Coelho, A., Ferreira, S. S., Oosterbeek, L., Review of Archaeological research in Angola. African Archaeological Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-020-09420-8
2020 – de Matos, D., Pereira, T., Middle Stone Age lithic assemblages From Leba Cave (Southwest Angola), Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 32, pp.1-17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102413
2019 – Matos, D., Oosterbeek, L., Domingos, Z., Miller, C., Conard, N., Neto, M. S., Valongo, P., Fernandes, J., Henriques, M.H., An integrated approach to the construction of cultural landscapes in Southwest Angola: the case of Huíla, Proceedings of the UISPP 2018 World Conference, Paris, France, Archaeopress
2026 – Ferreira, S.S.; de Matos, D. "The history of public museums in Angola". Museum History Journal (2026): https://doi.org/10.1080/19369816.2025.2584803.
2025 – Ben Arous, E., Blinkhorn, J.A., Elliott, S. et al. Humans in Africa’s wet tropical forests 150 thousand years ago. Nature 640, 402–407 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08613-y
2023 – Pereira, T., Oosterbeek, L., Pleurdeau, D., Camara, A., Boccum, H., Thiam, D., Alabi, R. A., Kote, L., Tougba, L., Benjamin, M.H., Nankela, A., de Matos, D. The Middle Stone Age of Atlantic Africa: a critical review, L’Anthropologie https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103209
2023 – Piquete, V., Pereira, T., Cunha-Ribeiro, J.P. & De Matos, D. Early or Middle Stone Age? The lithic assemblage of Capangombe – Santo António, Namibe Province (Angola), L’Anthropologie https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anthro.2023.103214.
2023 – de Matos, D., Nora, D., Francisco, R., Fernandes, J., Neto, M.S., Robakiewicz, E Survey and Explorations of the Prehistoric Sites in the Highlands of Southwest Angola. Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology 6, 25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41982-023-00152-0
2021 – de Matos, D., Francisco, R., Fernandes, J., Robakiewicz, E., & Barros, B. A paisagem cársica do Sudoeste de Angola. Primeira abordagem ao património subterrâneo da Formação Leba. Revista Angolana de Geociências: 2 (1). Universidade Agostinho Neto. http://revista.cicga- uan.co.ao/index.php/RAG/article/view/24
2021 – de Matos, D., Senna-Martinez, J.C, Martins, A.C., Pinto, I., Godinho Coelho, A., Ferreira, S. S., Oosterbeek, L., Review of Archaeological research in Angola. African Archaeological Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-020-09420-8
2020 – de Matos, D., Pereira, T., Middle Stone Age lithic assemblages From Leba Cave (Southwest Angola), Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 32, pp.1-17, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102413
2019 – Matos, D., Oosterbeek, L., Domingos, Z., Miller, C., Conard, N., Neto, M. S., Valongo, P., Fernandes, J., Henriques, M.H., An integrated approach to the construction of cultural landscapes in Southwest Angola: the case of Huíla, Proceedings of the UISPP 2018 World Conference, Paris, France, Archaeopress
