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Sterkfontein Caves
The Sterkfontein Caves are one of the
13 fossil sites in the Cradle of Humankind
World Heritage Site. The site is located in
the heart of the Cradle of Humankind WHS and
it is about an hour drive from the
Johannesburg city center and about 10
minutes from Maropeng. Attractions include,
scientific exhibition showcases a
reconstruction of a mined versus a pristine
cave, cave formations, early-life forms,
mammals and homofossils as well as details
of fossilisation, palaeobotany and
landscapes.
Scientific
evidence suggests that these dolomite caves
started out as coral reefs growing under the
sea about 2.3 billion years ago. As the
reefs died out they were converted into
limestone and finally into dolomite.
Caves were carved out in the dolomite when
acidic water percolated and stalactites and
stalagmites were formed. It is believed that
animals and hominids which were trapped in
the caves died and were eventually
fossilized. Together these caves have
yielded 850 hominid remains.
In 1947 an
almost complete skull of an adult female
Australopithecus africanus was found in the
Sterkfontein Caves and nicknamed 'Mrs.Ples'.
‘Little Foot', the oldest hominid skeleton
discovered to date, was also found in the
same caves. Indeed, this site is a treat for
archaeologists and for those interested in
prehistory.
Visitor Information
The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
Address:
North-west of Joburg, from Hendrik Potgieter
or Beyers Naude Drive
Phone: +27 (0)11 355 1200; Email:
cradleofhumankind@gauteng.gov.za
Web: www.cradleofhumankind.co.za
Maropeng & Sterkfontein Caves
Phone: +27 (0)14 577 9000; Web:
www.maropeng.co.za |
