Low luminosity galaxies may be the building blocks of more luminous systems .
Southern African Large Telescope ( SALT ) observations of the low luminosity , early-type galaxy NGC59 are obtained and analysed .
These data are used to measure the stellar population parameters in the centre and off-centre regions of this galaxy , in order to uncover its likely star formation history .
We find evidence of older stars , in addition to young stars in the emission line regions .
The metallicity of the stellar population is constrained to be [ Z/H ] \sim - 1.1 to -1.6 , which is extremely low , even for this low luminosity galaxy , since it is not classed as a dwarf spheroidal galaxy .
The measured [ \alpha /Fe ] ratio is sub-solar , which indicates an extended star formation history in NGC59 .
If such objects formed the building blocks of more massive , early-type galaxies , then they must have been gaseous mergers , rather than dry mergers , in order to increase the metals to observed levels in luminous , early-type galaxies .