ZAArchaeologists led by Professor Tim Forssman are conducting excavations at Gwalala Hill, a site within the Makuleke Contractual Park in the northern Kruger National Park. The site, previously occupied by the Makuleke community before being displaced during apartheid, has yielded significant findings including thousands of glass beads believed to have originated from Southeast Asia via East African trade networks. These discoveries provide insight into precolonial trade systems in the region. Excavations, which took place between 2022 and 2025, revealed artifacts that suggest complex interactions and economic activity in the area, contributing to understanding the development of larger settlements like Thulamela.
Bias read (Center): The article presents an objective account of archaeological findings without overtly aligning with any political ideology. While it references historical displacement under apartheid and current land rights issues, it does not take a clear stance on contemporary political debates surrounding land re
