Ritual fauna from Ratho Kroonkop: a second millennium AD rain control site in the Shashe-Limpopo Confluence area of South Africa

Ratho Kroonkop (RKK) is a hilltop site located in the Shashe-Limpopo Confluence Area (SLCA) of South Africa that was used repeatedly from the K2 to the historic period. Amongst other features, the site contains two rock tanks, which were used for rain control rituals. Faunal remains from rain control sites have not been reported before. A wide variety of animal remains were retrieved from the site, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and molluscs. We use ethnographies from both hunter-gatherers and farmers that have documented evidence that the species found in deposits at RKK were used in rain control rituals. Many of the species identified from RKK had an association with water, rain or potency, appeared burnt black representing rain clouds and have been represented in the region's rock art.