Troy Smuts

An Archaeological Look at the 19th Century Land & Farming in the Karoo Troy Smuts

The change from Dutch VOC control to a British government exposed small scale Trekboer sheep farmers of the Karoo to a wider mercantile capitalism, especially with the adoption of Merino sheep for the global export market. This book charts the movement of colonial Trekboer society into the Karoo with a specific focus on the region around the Roggeveld Mountains and Nieuweveld Mountains. Of particular importance in this history is the change in land rights whereby title deeds and ownership were introduced. The distribution and chronology of title deeds are explored in this area of the Karoo to determine the chronological spread of deeded farms and possible links with environmental and ecological variability. While some correlations can be made under the assumption that better areas were claimed earlier, other factors were also important. In particular the spread of Merino sheep, accounts for some of the geographic emphasis in title deed chronology, while technological innovations may underpin others. Furthermore, the relationship between the title deeds and the distribution of corbelled buildings is tested to see whether these structures can be given a more secure chronology.