In the northwest of Johannesburg - some 10 km north of Krugersdorp - lies an area of about 50.000 hectares called the "Cradle of Humankind", proclaimed a World Cultural Heritage Site by the UNESCO. In the centre of the site are a number of dolomitic limestone caves containing extraordinarily many fossillized remains of ancient forms of animals, plants and, most importantly, hominids which had fallen into these caves millions of years ago.

The latest opinion in palaeontology says that the evolution of humans and primates took different directions some 5 to 10 million years ago. The hominids (hominidae) are seen to be the oldest humans on the human branch.
   
The fossil findings in the "Cradle of Humankind" caves have contributed largely to an understanding of the evolution of the human species. In 1936 the fossillized bones of an early human, the "Australopithecus africanus" - were discovered here, in the Sterkfontein Caves. In 1947 the almost complete skull of an adult female Australopithecus Africanus was found. Initially named Plesianthropus transvaalensis ("near-man" of the Transvaal), which inspired the nickname 'Mrs.Ples'. It is estimated to be between 2.6 and 2.8 million years old, ranking high on the long list of australopithecine discoveries which made Sterkfontein world-famous.

In total, some 850 fossillized remains of hominids were discovered in the caves around Sterkfontein - Swartkrans, Plover's Lake, Bolt's Farm, Coopers, Gladysvale, Kromdraai, Drimolen, Haasgat, Gondolin and Wonder Cave, and also many stone and bone tools and indications for the use of fire.

Of all the caves in the "Cradle of Humankind" at present only the Sterkfontein Caves and the Wonder Cave are open for visitors

Source: News24.com - www.news24.com

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