▁between ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 , 8 0 0 ▁years ▁ago . ▁The ▁m idd ens ▁have ▁been ▁studied ▁extens ively ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁particularly ▁by ▁arch ae olog ists . ▁ ▁A ▁significant ▁debate ▁has ▁developed ▁among ▁sch ol ars ▁about ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁the ▁m idd ens ▁and ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁people ▁who ▁lived ▁on ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁West ▁Coast ▁during ▁the ▁Later ▁Stone ▁Age . ▁ ▁Provin cial ▁her itage ▁site ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁provincial ▁her itage ▁resources ▁authority ▁Heritage ▁Western ▁Cape ▁declared ▁M uss el ▁Point ▁a ▁provincial ▁her itage ▁site ▁in ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁Section ▁ 2 7 ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Heritage ▁Resources ▁Act . ▁This ▁gives ▁the ▁site ▁Gra de ▁II ▁status ▁and ▁provides ▁the ▁site ▁with ▁protection ▁under ▁South ▁African ▁her itage ▁law . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : Shell ▁m idd ens ▁Category : Pro te cted ▁areas ▁of ▁South ▁Africa ▁Category : Arch ae ological ▁sites ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ▁Category : Build ings ▁and ▁structures ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Cape <0x0A> </s> ▁Th rust on ' s ▁Add itional ▁Cont inental ▁Regiment ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁inf antry ▁unit ▁that ▁served ▁for ▁a ▁little ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Army ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution ary ▁War . ▁Author ized ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 7 7 7 , ▁four ▁companies ▁were ▁organized ▁in ▁Virginia ▁during ▁the ▁spring ▁and ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 7 7 7