How Persian Pottery in Kruger Revealed Ancient Trade Networks

She said the thing that makes archaeology so addictive: the more you study, the more you realize you still don’t know.

At Letaba in Kruger, archaeozoologist Dr. Annie Antonites and her team are uncovering clues that reveal how people hunted, traded, and moved through the landscape long before the park looked anything like it does today.

Buffalo, zebra, and giraffe bones reveal ancient hunting practices. Rare Persian Gulf ceramics point to long-distance trade reaching deep into southern Africa. Isotope analysis may even help researchers understand seasonal movement across the landscape.

The most exciting part? Sometimes the biggest discoveries come from looking at old evidence with new questions.
That’s how archaeology rewrites history.
What would you want a time machine to show you first: the people, the animals, or the ancient trade routes?
Listen to the full conversation.