Hyrax Hill
Hyrax Hill Site
Pastoral Neolithic to Sirikwa Iron Age (1500 BCE–1900 CE)·Pastoral Neolithic (Elmenteitan) → Sirikwa Iron Age pastoralists·🇰🇪 Nakuru County, Rift Valley, Kenya
About
About Hyrax Hill
Hyrax Hill — double occupation hill 5 km south of Nakuru: Neolithic Sirikwa pit-houses with sunken stone-walled deltas and Sorghum-grinding stones 1500–500 BCE, overlaid Early Iron Age hollow 200 m long with enclosure walls of the classic Sirikwa holes (cairns). Mary Leakey's type-site 1938/1965 revealing Iron Age pastoralists' beacon enclosure for central Kenya. Museum on hill exhibits Hyrax Hill figurines and obsidian. Views over Lake Nakuru flamingo mass.
Why it mattersReference for Sirikwa hole interpretation and Pastoral Neolithic Rift pottery; Leakey's first Rift hill excavation paradigm.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Sirikwa holes fort vs house debate
- 02Why hill abandoned before Maasai arrival
Theories
- 01Hollows as fortified cattle barns of intensive pastoralism (Soper)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Neolithic settlement 1500 BCE–500 BCE; Sirikwa enclosure 1200–1900 CE built atop
- Period
- Pastoral Neolithic to Sirikwa Iron Age (1500 BCE–1900 CE)
- Culture
- Pastoral Neolithic (Elmenteitan) → Sirikwa Iron Age pastoralists
- Builders
- Elmenteitan herders / Sirikwa Kalenjin
- Purpose
- Hill spur pastoral village with sunken holes (fortified cattle kraal vs dwelling) overlooking lake pasture
- Excavation
- Excavated
Neolithic settlement 1500 BCE–500 BCE; Sirikwa enclosure 1200–1900 CE built atop
Initial construction
c. 1426 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
0.2830° S · 36.1000° E · 1880 m · 3 mapped features
Sirikwa Enclosure
earthwork200 m stone-banked enclosure with 20 hollows
0.2825° S · 36.1005° ENeolithic Pit-Houses
buildingSunken deltas with post holes and hearths
0.2835° S · 36.0995° EHyrax Hill Museum
buildingOn-site museum with figurines and obsidian
0.2830° S · 36.1000° E
Gallery