Klip Kop Cave – home to early humans in Hermanus

Writer: Dr Robin Lee.

The Overstrand coastline is full of caves. This is because the entire coast and even mountains now kilometres inland were under the sea for millions of years. The Table Mountain Sandstone deposits, which predominate in this area, had many weak spots, and scouring action by the sea and from rivers flowing toward the sea, created the caves.

Then, sea levels gradually dropped and the caves were exposed. Some, such as Klipgat Cave at Die Kelders are still on the coast, but others were left considerable distances inland.

Klip Kop Cave on Hoy's Koppie provided shelter to humans as far back as 100 000 years ago.

Humans used the caves for shelter during and after the Early Stone Age. Klip Kop Cave is approximately one kilometre inland, about half way up Hoy’s Koppie. You can reach it easily from the south and west sides, along the paths laid out on the koppie. Artefacts from the cave were dated from 70 000 to 100 000 years ago.

Click below to read more. (The full article can be found on page 17)