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The South African or Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) Orange River Concentration Camp on the farm Doornbult, close to Hopetown in the Northern Cape Province, is one of the best preserved Camps from this War. The history of the Concentration Camp at Doornbult is characterised by its occurring in two phases. At first, from April 1901 to the end of July 1901, the camp was under military control but later, from 1 August 1901 until November 1902, it was placed under civil control. It is known that several people died during the first phase. It was only during the second phase that a formal cemetery was laid out and burials occurred in an organised way. Graves situated outside the formal cemetery were investigated during May 2007 as part of an archaeological project of the Heritage Foundation. About 17 graves were found outside the perimeters of the formal cemetery, and it was clear that these were formal, or organised, burial sites. It presently still remains unclear why these burial sites are located outside of the formal cemetery. It may be connected to a custom that prematurely born or unbaptized children were buried outside cemeteries. The only grave that was completely excavated contained the remains of a prematurely born child, whose remains were buried formally. No evidence was found of existence of mass graves at the Orange River Concentration Camp at Doornbult.
Beweerde massagrafte en grafte buite 'n formele begraafplaas by die Oranjerivierkonsentrasiekamp, Suid-Afrika
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