The ceramic signature of the Cape in the nineteenth century, with particular reference to the Tennant Street site, Cape Town

We present here the rationale and procedures of a ceramic typology for nine teenth and early twentieth century southern African sites; based on collect ions excavated in and around Cape Town at sites such as Tennant Street. Our present system is based on an earlier scheme for Western Cape sites of the Dutch East India Company and early British periods (c. 1652-c. 1850), and was developed in conjunction with archaeologists in other provinces. The pr oposed typology is intentionally simple for easy application by non-experts , and it is hoped that its use will allow us to compare South African colle ctions with each other, as well as with contemporary sites elsewhere.