<sod>Stratigraphy finds that the cave sediment is mainly composed of ashy soil covered by middens. There was 40 cubic meters of shell middens found from the Holocene period. Aside from mussel shells, middens consisted of ostrich shells and other marine shells.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Parkington|first1=John|title=Coastal settlement between the mouths of the Berg and Olifants Rivers, Cape Province|journal=The South African Archaeological Bulletin|date=1976}}</ref> It was discovered that ostrich eggs, used as water containers, were sometimes repurposed as beads after breaking. Some wood charcoal from 40,000 years ago from the terminal Holocene (300 years ago) to early late Pleistocene revealed that it was beyond range of carbon dating. There was only 25-44 g/m3 microfaunal found.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Matthews|first1=Thalassa|title=Taphonomy and the Micromammals from Elands Bay Cave|journal=The South African Archaeological Bulletin|date=1999}}</ref> In early Holocene, limpets overshadow any other shells in the midden levels. There are four stratigraphic levels of middens that are described. Stages 1,2, and 3 are the top three levels; they are believed to be dated to around 1,500 to 600 BP.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Klein, R. G., & Cruz-Uribe, K|title=Large mammal and tortoise bones from Elands Bay Cave and nearby sites, western Cape Province, South Africa|journal=Papers in the prehistory of the western Cape, South Africa.|date=1987}}</ref> The lower stage, level 4, is understood to be dated no older that 1,500 BP.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Klein, R. G., & Cruz-Uribe, K|title=Large mammal and tortoise bones from Elands Bay Cave and nearby sites, western Cape Province, South Africa|journal=Papers in the prehistory of the western Cape, South Africa.|date=1987}}</ref><eod>
<sod>Stratigraphy finds that the cave sediment is mainly composed of ashy soil covered by middens. There was 40 cubic meters of shell middens found from the Holocene period. Aside from mussel shells, middens consisted of ostrich shells and other marine shells.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Parkington|first1=John|title=Coastal settlement between the mouths of the Berg and Olifants Rivers, Cape Province|journal=The South African Archaeological Bulletin|date=1976}}</ref> It was discovered that ostrich eggs, used as water containers, were sometimes repurposed as beads after breaking. Some wood charcoal from 40,000 years ago from the terminal Holocene (300 years ago) to early late Pleistocene revealed that it was beyond range of carbon dating. There was only 25-44 g/m3 microfaunal found.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Matthews|first1=Thalassa|title=Taphonomy and the Micromammals from Elands Bay Cave|journal=The South African Archaeological Bulletin|date=1999}}</ref> In early Holocene, limpets were the dominant species represented within the midden levels. Four stratigraphic levels were observed throughout the middens and were documented. Stages 1,2, and 3 are the top three levels; they are believed to be dated to around 1,500 to 600 BP.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Klein, R. G., & Cruz-Uribe, K|title=Large mammal and tortoise bones from Elands Bay Cave and nearby sites, western Cape Province, South Africa|journal=Papers in the prehistory of the western Cape, South Africa.|date=1987}}</ref> The lower stage, level 4, is understood to be dated no older that 1,500 BP.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Klein, R. G., & Cruz-Uribe, K|title=Large mammal and tortoise bones from Elands Bay Cave and nearby sites, western Cape Province, South Africa|journal=Papers in the prehistory of the western Cape, South Africa.|date=1987}}</ref><eod>