Mapoch's Caves

Mapoch's Caves is a provincial heritage site in Middelburg in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa.

In 1968 it was described in the Government Gazette as

Apart from their interesting and dramatic history, the Hoofstat and Spitskoppie contain extensive stone walling of great importance to scientists interested in studying Bantu building techniques and particularly Ndebele building methods. The walling shows considerable variation, but two main kinds can be recognised : domestic building and defensive works. Two main techniques of building were employed. In the first, known as cyclopean building, huge natural boulders were piled upon one another without the use of mortar ; this technique was used mainly for retaining walls of hut platforms against the steep hillside and for ramparts in front of the entrance to the caves. The other technique had much in common with other Bantu settlements in the Northern Transvaal: walls were built of smaller flat stones trimmed square and bonded with mortar. This technique was used for the most part for building huts and kraals... The said area contains valuable ethnological relics and also featured prominently in the war against Niabel in 1882-1883.

References

• South African Heritage Resource Agency database