Politics, Society and Trade on the Eastern Margins of the Kalahari

Abstract

This paper reviews the archaeology of the eastern margins of the Kalahari and considers the influence of the major sites ofthe Limpopo-Shashe confluence on these areas. By adopting the theoretical concept of Kopytoff's fidntier model, consideration is given to the nature of interaction and the likely signiJicance of the symbolic meanings of material culture. This treatment suggests that future analyses will benejt from examining regional material culture from a more dynamic perspective.