Thousands of years before European contact, gold mining in what we today call South Africa was an integral part of the region’s economy,

Thousands of years before European contact, gold mining in what we today call South Africa was an integral part of the region’s economy,

Thousands of years before European contact, gold mining in what we today call South Africa was an integral part of the region’s economy, particularly in societies associated with the Mapungubwe Kingdom (9th – 13th centuries CE). Mapungubwe was a major trading hub that exported Gold, copper and ivory to the Indian ocean trade network. Archaeological evidence, including Gold artifacts such as the famous golden Rhinoceros, indicates the extensive use of gold mined in the region.

Gold mining was primarily conducted in areas with rich gold deposits, which were well known and actively worked by local communities. Gold was extracted using rudimentary tools and techniques, often through mining pits and panning in riverbeds.

In Barberton Greenstone Belt (Mpumalanga) the area was significant for its accessibility and the richness of its ore, indigenous miners used complex tools to extract gold from quartz veins and river sediments. The area has some of the oldest known gold deposits in the world, with mining dating back thousands of years.

Tswapong Hills and surrounding areas (Botswana border) adjacent to Limpopo province, gold from this area was part of the trade networks linked to Mapungubwe and Great Zimbabwe, indigenous people mined gold and traded the metals with neighbouring regions

Venda and Soutpansberg region (Limpopo). Gold was mined and traded by indigenous South African societies, especially during the time of the Venda and Mapungubwe societies. Gold objects found in the region by archaeologists suggest its integration into cultural and ritual practices.

Gold mining was primarily artisanal, using tools and equipment to extract gold from surface deposits. Panning in river beds and shallow digging were some of the used methods. Gold was used for trade, crafting ornaments and as a symbol of wealth and status. Gold was traded along the east coast of Africa, reaching markets in the Middle East, India and Asia.