History of South Africa is a long-form historical project devoted to the careful narration of South Africa’s past, from deep prehistory to the late twentieth century.
The project places particular emphasis on chronology, landscape, climate, movement, and structural change, seeking to understand historical events within their material and environmental contexts rather than through present-day political lenses alone.
Essays published here are intended to function as a permanent, readable archive rather than as commentary or opinion pieces. The aim is clarity, proportion, and historical literacy.
The site draws on archaeological research, historical geography, archival sources, and established historical scholarship. Where interpretation is necessary, it is grounded in evidence and made explicit.
The scope includes:
This site accompanies the History of South Africa podcast. While many essays are related to podcast episodes, they are edited and structured as stand-alone historical texts, intended for reading rather than listening.
Over time, the written archive may extend beyond the podcast, allowing topics to be explored in greater depth or through different thematic lenses.