Over the past two years, Dr Frans Kruger has been working with Professor Tim Forssman (University of Mpumalanga, South Africa) and the Thulamela Archaeological Research (TAR) team on fieldwork in the Makuleke Contractual Park in the Pafuri region of the Kruger National Park.
The collaboration focuses on the 12th–16th century sites of Gwalala Hill and Thulamela. Alongside excavation work, the project explores how archaeological field training is taught and how these approaches might support a more inclusive discipline. It also examines how learning about the past connects with affective and socio-material experiences, why precolonial histories matter today, and how broader public interest in these histories can be supported through informal and non-formal education.
Initial findings from this work will be presented at the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists (ASAPA) 2026 conference at the University of Mpumalanga.
The partnership is now being extended in two directions. The first involves working with artisans from the Makuleke community to consider how contemporary craft knowledge and practices can inform archaeological and heritage education. The second focuses on the design and development of a mobile museum centred on the history of Thulamela.
Sunrise at Gwalala Hill
Excavated piece of 13th century ceramic
Posted on Tuesday 9th June 2026