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66-551: The Makhonjwa Mountains or Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains are a range of small mountains and hills that covers an area of 120 by 60 kilometres (75 by 37 mi), about 80% in Mpumalanga , a province of South Africa , and the remainder in neighbouring Eswatini . It constitutes 40% of the Barberton Greenstone Belt . The area ranges in altitude from 600 to 1,800 metres (2,000 to 5,900 ft) above mean sea level. It has

132-450: A Haute Cuisine route was formed, trickling from Mbombela down to Hazyview. The Lowveld Gourmet Route covers the four top fine dining restaurants the area has to offer. The restaurants include Summerfields Kitchen, Oliver's Restaurant, Orange and Salt. Mpumalanga is home to a diverse range of cultures, including Swazi, Ndebele, Afrikaans, Tsonga, Zulu, Mapulana, Portuguese and Pedi communities. The Ndebele Cultural Village at Botshabelo

198-589: A closed list system. Under the constitution of South Africa, the legislature is intended to create laws, promote public participation and provide oversight. From 1994 to the present, the African National Congress has been the leading party in the Mpumalanga legislature. As of the 2019 elections, the Economic Freedom Fighters , Democratic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus are in opposition in

264-510: A child's head; only one out of the seven heads resembles an animal. The recovered pottery shards were reconstructed largely at the University of Cape Town , and assembled into two large heads and five smaller heads. One of the larger heads constitute an incomplete specimen. The reconstructed heads provide a glimpse into the craftsmen's skill and preciseness of artistry, even though they may not look exactly how they looked 1500 years ago. Six of

330-410: A fossil layer shows microbial activity that is 3.22 billion years old. This discovery indicates that life emerged on Earth 300 million years earlier than previously thought. Mpumalanga has a high plant and animal diversity. Many species are endemic to the province. A partial list of species that are endemic to Mpumalanga The diverse and special flora and fauna of the province enjoys protection in

396-408: A notched ridge extends horizontally across the cheek to the bottom of the ear. This head has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings. The basal neck rings are insiced. The mouth is within the upper neck ring. Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at the edges to form the lips which then taper into

462-562: A number of rocky hills, with moist grassy uplands and forested valleys. The region lies within the Barberton centre of endemism . The mean annual precipitation is 600–1,150 millimetres (24–45 in), with wet summers and dry winters. The mountains lie on the eastern edge of the Kaapvaal Craton . The range is best known for having some of the oldest exposed rocks on Earth, estimated to be between 3.2 and 3.6 billion years (Ga) old, dating from

528-411: A protruding snout, that has a downward slope which flares out over the upper most neck ring. Teeth were made by inserting clay pegs between the lip gaps. There is a large gap depicted between the two left side teeth. This specimen represents a differing morphology compared to the other six heads. The face of this specimen was created to bulge outwards and down wards with the nose being set low towards

594-529: A range of nature reserves. Many species of plants are unique to the different geological formations within Mpumalanga. Some examples of these formations include serpentines of Barberton Mountains, norites of Sekhukhuneland , quartzites of Blyde River Canyon , and the dolomites in the northern plateaus. Mpumalanga is governed by the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature , a unicameral system of 30 legislators democratically elected though

660-617: A region of trade. Archeological sites in the Mpumalanga region indicate settlement by humans and their ancestors dating back 1.7 million years. Rock paintings, engravings and other archeological evidence throughout the province indicate that Mpumalanga has a long history of human habitation by groups of hunter gatherers. Excavations not far from the Mpumalanga border in the Origstad district, show evidence of Middle Stone Age habitation dating back to 40,000 years ago. The Lion Cavern, in Ngwenya on

726-576: A site near Mbombela shows evidence of agricultural societies from between the 6th to 17th century. Bokoni stone-walled sites on the Mpumalanga highveld are indicative of a large precolonial agropastoral society between ~1500 and 1820 CE. These societies became centers of trade, with increasingly large and centralised populations This pattern increased as they connected to the Portuguese trading post in Maputo Bay . In this era, groups that would become

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792-408: A straight line from the middle eye ridges across the forehead; unlike the previous mentioned heads whose forehead ridges curve to one side of the head. This head has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings. The basal neck rings are incised. The mouth is missing in this specimen. The eyes are placed towards

858-628: Is a popular destination. The other major tourist attractions include the Sudwala Caves and the Blyde River Canyon . Many activities including the big jump, mountain and quad biking, horse trails, river rafting and big game viewing are endemic to the region. This is " Big Five " territory. Towns in the Lowveld are Barberton , Mbombela , White River , Sabie , Graskop , Hazyview , Malelane , Pilgrim's Rest , Lydenburg and Nkomazi . In 2008,

924-576: Is a renowned center of cultural heritage, with displays of Ndebele house painting . Ndebele artist Esther Mahalangu gained international acclaim for her artwork rooted in Ndebele traditions and geometric patterns. Prominent South African artist Gerard Sekoto was born in Botshabelo . Many celebrated South African musicians, such as Ray Phiri , Rebecca Malope and Pretty Yende , are from Mpumalanga. Since 2003, Mpumalanga's capital city, Mbombela, has hosted

990-570: Is an hour away on the Highveld: With climate change in the province, rainfall is becoming more variable, temperatures and evaporation rates are rising and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. It is predicted that these changes will shift biomes so that most of the province will be savanna. Some of the earliest signs of life on Earth have been found in Mpumalanga. In the Makhonjwa mountain range's greenstone belt near Barberton ,

1056-410: Is done and the minerals found include gold, platinum group metals, silica , chromite , vanadiferous magnetite , argentiferous zinc , antimony , cobalt , copper, iron, manganese , tin , coal, andalusite , chrysotile asbestos , kieselguhr , limestone , magnesite , talc and shale . Gold was first discovered in Mpumalanga province in 1883 by Auguste Roberts in the mountains surrounding what

1122-399: Is located directly above the upper neck ring. Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at the edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks. The lips are open approximately 10mm. The lips have been cut completely through to the face which constitutes an open mouth that includes no teeth. The eyes are placed in the middle of the face. The eyes are made by slits cut through to

1188-479: Is now Barberton. Gold is still mined in the Barberton area today. Mpumalanga accounts for 83% of South Africa's coal production. 90% of South Africa's coal consumption is used for electricity generation and the synthetic fuel industry. Coal power stations are in proximity to the coal deposits. A coal liquefaction plant in Secunda ( Secunda CTL ) is one of the country's two petroleum-from-coal extraction plants, which

1254-400: Is operated by the synthetic fuel company Sasol . The high density of coal power stations on the Mpumalanga highveld means that the region has the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in the world. Mpumalanga is popular with tourists. Kruger National Park , established in 1898 for the protection of Lowveld wildlife, covering 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 sq mi),

1320-435: Is postulated to represent the cartilaginous projection usually found in a normal human ear. Each head features similar notched ridges made by applying wet strips of clay and incising lines before the clay had dried. These notches vary in position and shape along the face. Other similar features include the eyes, mouth and nose; these characteristics are detailed below. The basal neck rings are moulded on this head. The mouth

1386-499: Is the only South African province to border two provinces of Mozambique ( Gaza Province to the northeast and Maputo Province to the east), as well as all four regions of Eswatini ( Lubombo , Hhohho , Manzini , and Shiselweni districts). The Lowveld is subtropical , due to its latitude and proximity to the warm Indian Ocean . The Highveld is comparatively much cooler and drier, due to its elevation of 1700 m to 2300 m above sea level. The Drakensberg escarpment receives

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1452-430: Is the only head that seems to resemble something other than a human. It has a long snout instead of regular protruding lips and also has no ears. Documentation of associated artefacts was limited due to the primary significance of the heads; however, we do know that the associated pottery sherds were identified as terracotta . These heads are speculated to have been covered in white slip , and glittering specularite at

1518-406: Is the only head with smooth ridges. Above the crown outlining the edge of the face are groupings of clay studs. These features are only seen in this head specifically and portions of Head No. 2 This head is too fragmented for precise characteristic recording. The basal neck rings are moulded. The mouth is located directly above the upper neck ring. Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at

1584-473: The Afrikaans national arts festival Innibos. The festival features music, comedy, arts, crafts and theatre. Mpumalanga's population is 4,039,939 people (according to the 2011 census). The average population density is 52.81 people per km². Some 30% of the people speak siSwati , the language of neighbouring Eswatini , with 26% speaking isiZulu , 10.3% isiNdebele , 10.2% Sepedi and 11.6% Xitsonga . As of

1650-469: The Eswatini border, shows evidence of people mining iron ore in the Mpumalanga region and surrounding areas from at least 28 000 years ago. Evidence from mine shafts and trade goods shows that there was notable industry in tin, copper, gold, iron, ochre, and bronze. The Lydenburg Heads , from around 500 CE, are Africa's oldest Iron Age artworks south of the equator and were found in Mpumalanga. Evidence from

1716-545: The Komati River that flows through the belt. In April 2014, scientists reported finding evidence of the largest terrestrial meteor impact event to date near the area. They estimated the impact occurred about 3.26 billion years ago and that the impactor was approximately between 37 and 58 kilometers (23 and 36 miles) wide. The crater from this event, if it still exists, has not yet been found. In May 2019, extraterrestrial organic materials in 3.3-billion-year-old volcanic rocks

1782-485: The Kruger National Park is in the latter region. The Drakensberg exceeds heights of 2000 m in most places, with this central region of Mpumalanga being very mountainous. These regions have alpine grasslands and small pockets of Afromontane forest . The Lowveld is relatively flat with interspersed rocky outcrops. The Lebombo Mountains form a low range in the far east, on the border with Mozambique . Some of

1848-574: The Paleoarchean . The mountain range's extreme age and exceptional preservation have yielded some of the oldest undisputed signs of life on Earth and provide insight into the hostile nature of the Precambrian environment under which this life evolved . This has led to the area being otherwise known as the "Genesis of life". The range is also known for its gold deposits and a number of komatiites , an unusual type of ultramafic volcanic rock named after

1914-669: The South African Republic . The well established Pedi, Swazi and Zulu kingdoms put up significant resistance against the settlers. The Pedi fought wars with the Boers in 1876 (see Sekhukhune Wars ) and the Zulu fought with British settlers in 1879 (see Anglo-Zulu War ). These interconnected conflicts played a role in shifting the balance of power in southern Africa to colonial control. After 1860, missionaries, especially German missionaries like Alexander Merensky set up mission stations in

1980-558: The Swazi , Pedi , Ndebele , Mapulana and others established themselves in the area that is now Mpumalanga. In 1845, as part of the Great Trek , the first Dutch-speaking colonial settlers arrived in what they called the eastern Transvaal. The rest of the 19th century in the region was characterised by colonial encroachment and conflict over land and political control. In 1852, the Boers established

2046-464: The 2011 census, approximately 90.65% of Mpumalanga's population are Black, 7.51% are White, and 0.91% are Coloured and 0.69% are Indian or Asian. Lydenburg heads The Lydenburg Heads are seven terracotta heads that were discovered in association with other pottery artifacts in Lydenburg , Mpumalanga , South Africa. They are among the oldest known African Iron Age artworks from South of

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2112-562: The Lydenburg Heads is that they may have been created to serve ritualistic and or ceremonial purposes including initiation rights. The two larger specimens could have been worn by a small individual such as young man. If so, these heads may represent a significant point in a boy's life such as becoming a man, or ceremonial purposes like memorialising an ancestor. The five smaller heads have holes in their sides which some archaeologists suggest may have been used to connected them to something at

2178-789: The Transvaal, under a system known as Inboekstelsel , Boers carried out raids to capture children and forced them into indentured labour. During the South African War , the region was the site of notable battles. When the National Party came to power in 1948, their policy of apartheid intensified the segregation that had defined communities in the Transvaal . Under a policy of forced removals, Black South Africans were evicted from areas reserved for white people and moved into homelands, including KaNgwane , KwaNdebele , Lebowa and Gazankulu . As

2244-434: The apartheid regime implemented oppressive policies that defined almost every aspect of life, activists responded with resistance. In 1959, the small town of Bethal on what is now the Mpumalanga highveld was the center of the anti-apartheid consumer potato boycott in response to the working conditions Black South African labourers faced on farms in the area. The region was influenced by dynamics in exile and elsewhere in

2310-406: The case of the ears. The ears were all manufactured in the same way. A plate of clay was moulded to the side of the specimen where the ear would be anatomically. The outer edge of the ears were rounded and sloped down and slightly forward. Ear lobes are not presented in any of the specimens however there is a small peg of clay placed above the area where the ear attached to the head. This clay peg

2376-451: The cheek to the bottom of the ear on both sides of the face. The major difference in this specimen is that the single, vertical, notched-ridge extending from the middle of the eye ridges across the forehead, curves to the right of the face. This head has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings. The basal neck rings are incised. The mouth appears as

2442-404: The cheeks. The lips are open approximately 5 mm. Teeth were made by inserting clay pegs between the lip gaps. There is a large gap depicted between the two front teeth. The eyes are placed in the middle of the face. The eyes were made by cutting into applied pieces of clay. The left and right ears are intact. The notched ridges in this specimen are similar to Head # 3 except the ridge on

2508-518: The country, for instance Black Consciousness , the Sharpeville Massacre and the 1976 Soweto Uprisings . In the 1980s, under intense repression, youth and labour organizations moblized against the government and townships and Bantustans erupted in political unrest and violence. In 1986, an avoidable disaster killed 177 mine workers in Kinross Mine in the region's highveld. The response to

2574-501: The designs suggest that they were valued products of a well organised and settled community. The heads were discovered initially as a surface find by a young boy named Karl-Ludwig von Bezing while playing on his father's farm. The material was later collected when Ludwig was a teenager. He went back in both 1962 and 1966 to excavate the area and during this time he was able to find several pieces of pottery that proved to be seven hollow heads when assembled, two of which can fit over

2640-569: The disaster by the National Union of Mineworkers was a key point in the South African labour struggle. By the late 1980s, the intensity of resistance across South Africa (including areas like Mpumalanga, which hadn't previously been seen as key areas of resistance) combined with economic factors and international pressure was strong enough to end apartheid. On 27 April 1994, when South Africa held its first democratic elections , Mpumalanga province

2706-725: The drier Highveld region, with its cold winters, and the hot, humid Lowveld allow for a variety of agricultural activities. Mpumalanga has been an important supplier of fruit and vegetables for local and international markets for decades. A history of dispossession mean that farming land is largely white owned, although policies of land redistribution era aim to address this. Crops include maize, wheat, sorghum , barley , sunflower seed , soybeans , macadamias , groundnuts, sugar cane, vegetables, coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, citrus , subtropical and deciduous fruit. Natural grazing covers approximately 14% of Mpumalanga. The main products are beef, mutton , wool , poultry and dairy. Farming in

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2772-545: The edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks. The lips are open approximately 5 mm. Teeth were made by inserting clay pegs between the lip gaps. There is a large gap depicted between the two front teeth. The eyes are placed in the middle of the face. The eyes were made by cutting into applied pieces of clay. There are three horizontal notched ridges between the eyes. The orientation of notched ridges are similar to Heads No. 2, #3, and No. 4. All Ridges on face are notched. The vertical notched ridge extends in

2838-455: The edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks. The lips have been cut completely through to the face which constitutes an open mouth that includes no teeth. The eyes are placed in the middle of the face. The eyes are made by slits cut through to the wall of the faced. The left ear is intact. The ridges on this head are similar to those in Head No. 1 except the horizontal ridges below

2904-574: The equator. Other artefacts found in association with these heads include ceramic vessels, iron and copper beads, and bone fragments. Charcoal associated with the heads was radiocarbon dated , and this relative dating technique places these artifacts and the site at around 1410 BP (approximately 500 A.D.), which constitutes one of the earliest dates for an Iron Age settlement in South Africa. The heads are hollow with thin clay strips added to create facial details. The skill and thought that went into

2970-423: The exaggerated lips. The positioning of the lips and nose give this head the appearance of an animal snout. The eyes were made by cutting into applied pieces of clay. This head does not have ears like the other specimens. The notched ridges on this head Varies widely from the previous specimens. Where the other heads share three notched ridges between the eyes, this specimen has a long notched ridge extending from

3036-414: The eyes are incised with notches and not smooth. There are two vertical ridges with incised notches located between the eyes and extend toward the upper most portion of the forehead. There is a grouping of several applied clay studs on one of the pieces that constitute this head as seen in Head No. 1 Head # 3 has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward

3102-579: The heads share human characteristics, while a single head has animal-like features. The presence of linear patterned neck rings are postulated to represent a marker of prosperity or wealth, due to their symbolic use throughout time. Of the seven, only two are large enough to have been worn, but the size is not the only observable variation between them. The two aforementioned heads constitute the only specimens with small animal figurines, perceived to be lions, mounted on top of them. The other five are more similar in size and appearance, with one exception. This head

3168-424: The legislature. Elected every five years, the premier of Mpumalanga is the head of government in the province. Since 2024 Mandla Ndlovu has held the office of premier. Mpumalanga Province is divided into three district municipalities . The district municipalities are in turn divided into 18 local municipalities : 68% of land area in the province is used by agriculture. The climatic contrasts between

3234-428: The lower portion of the face. The eyes were made by cutting into applied pieces of clay. The right eye is missing. The left ear is intact. The ridge patterning on the face is similar to Heads No. 2, #3, and No. 4. This includes three incised ridges running horizontal between the eyes, one ridge running horizontal from the outer corner of the eye to the top of the ear, on both sides; and one notched ridge extending across

3300-417: The lower portion of the hatched rings. The basal neck rings are incised. The mouth is within the upper neck ring. Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at the edges to form the lips which then taper into the cheeks. The lips are open approximately 5 mm. Teeth were made by inserting clay pegs between the lip gaps. There is a large gap depicted between the two front teeth. The eyes are placed in

3366-415: The middle of the face. The eyes were made by cutting into applied pieces of clay. The left ear is intact. This head has three horizontal ridges with incised lines between the eyes. A single ridge extending towards the forehead is also notched and curves toward the left side of the face. There are single notched ridges extending from the eye to the top part of the ear on both sides of the head. Below these,

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3432-453: The most precipitation , with all other areas being moderately well-watered by mostly-summer thunderstorms . The Highveld often experiences considerable freezing, while the Lowveld is mostly frost-free. Winter rainfall is rare, except for some drizzle on the escarpment . The differences in climate are demonstrated by comparing the capital, Mbombela , which is in the Lowveld, with Belfast , which

3498-538: The oldest rocks on earth have been found in the Barberton area; these ancient greenstones and metamorphosed granites form the Crocodile River Mountains in the southeast of the province. The Lowveld is underlaid by African Cratonic Basement rocks of ages in excess of 2 billion years. The Highveld is mostly Karoo Sequence sedimentary rock of a younger, Carboniferous to Permian age. Mpumalanga

3564-632: The process has been marked by corruption, controversy and has been seen as inadequate to address the extent of apartheid spatial planning. In 2001, 1,270 hectares of the Boomplaats farm near Mashishing was the first farm in South Africa to be expropriated. The Drakensberg escarpment divides Mpumalanga into a westerly half consisting mainly of high-altitude grassland called the Highveld and an eastern half situated in low-altitude subtropical Lowveld / Bushveld , mostly savanna habitat. The southern half of

3630-429: The protruding mouth vertically between the eyes towards the forehead which then curves to the left side of the face. Like the other heads Head No. 7 had horizontal notched ridges extending from the outer corner of the eyes, but these ridges slope downward to the bottom of where ears would be positioned. There are no horizontal ridges running across the cheek as in the other specimens. The current speculation surrounding

3696-430: The province is driven by both a combination of seasonal , permanent and temporary labourers. Conditions on farms vary widely but seasonal and temporary workers, many of whom are migrant workers from nearby Mozambique , face intense insecurity. Forestry is extensive around Sabie and Graskop . Located near the forests, Ngodwana is the site of one of South Africa's largest paper mills ( Sappi ). Extensive mining

3762-465: The region, spreading Christianity and European values. Just as the region had been a center for trade in the precolonial era, in the colonial era, the Eastern Transvaal region became an important thoroughfare for trade between Johannesburg and Delagoa Bay (now Maputo ). Gold mining around areas like Pilgrims Rest and Barberton and farming were the main forms of economic activity. On farms in

3828-411: The right side of the face extending across the cheek is not intact. This head has perforations that measure approximately 5 mm in diameter on both sides of the neck toward the lower portion of the hatched rings. The basal neck rings are incised. This head has the only example of cross hatching on the neck. The mouth is within the upper neck ring. Two crescent shaped pieces of clay were joined at

3894-530: The rim are rounded, however some parts of the base reflects a flat squared shape. While the Basal rings may be incised or moulded the neck rings above these basal rings contain diagonally incised rings that circle the entire neck. The incised pattern constitutes hatch marks that alternate in direction producing a herringbone pattern. While the specimens are similar in manufacture, they also have varying characteristics. Some specimens are better preserved than others, as in

3960-448: The time of their use. The marks across the foreheads and between the eyes are postulated to represent scarification marks, a widely practice behaviour in Africa. However, no evidence of scarification is seen practised within the modern descendants of those who manufactured the heads. Researchers suggest that the heads may not have been just disposed of but purposely buried, or destroyed at

4026-411: The time of their use. The smaller heads, #3–7 have small perforations on their sides. These perforations may have been some sort of framework to be worn as a headdress, or some part of a significant structure. The heads share a basic pot like formation with subtle differences in the way they were each shaped. The base formed at the bottom of all the heads was completed like the rim of a pot. Parts of

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4092-467: The wall of the faced. The left and right ears are intact. There are three horizontal notched ridges on the face located one above the other. One notched ridge is found between the eyes running vertical. Two sets of horizontal notches are located towards the side of the face placed between the outer eye socket and the placement of the ears. The horizontal ridges found below the placement of the eyes are not notched, they constitute smooth raised ridges. This

4158-461: Was formed in 1994, when the area that was the Eastern Transvaal was merged with the former bantustans KaNgwane , KwaNdebele and parts of Lebowa and Gazankulu . Although the contemporary borders of the province were only formed at the end of apartheid , the region and its surroundings have a history that extends back thousands of years. Much of its history, and current significance is as

4224-583: Was formed. It was originally called the "Eastern Transvaal" province, but the name was later changed to Mpumalanga on 24 August 1995. The liberation movement turned leading party, the African National Congress (ANC) came into power in Mpumalanga after white minority rule ended. A program of land redistribution , aimed at granting land back to the black communities who were forcibly moved during apartheid, had redistributed tens of thousands of hectares to these communities and their descendants. However,

4290-470: Was found at the Makhonjwa Mountains. Swazis and other pastoral peoples probably grazed their livestock there, but not in large numbers, until the arrival of European settlers in the 1860s. Gold was discovered near Kaapsehoop in 1875, but it was the find by George Barber and his cousins Fred and Harry Barber that triggered a gold rush in 1884, leading to the founding of the town of Barberton . It

4356-401: Was later overshadowed by the 1886 Witwatersrand Gold Rush . Economically speaking, mining is declining, and the main activities are now timber harvesting and grazing. Commercial plantations grow pine and eucalyptus . In 2009, a submission was made for the region's classification as a World Heritage Site . The location became a World Heritage Site in 2018. Mpumalanga Mpumalanga

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