The Place of Origin

May 18, 2013

The Cradle of Humankind is supposedly where it all began. Throughout the past 100 years, scientists have unearthed significant evidence at this Unesco World Heritage site that casts lights on the way we interpret humanity, our origins and human development.  We thought it was worth a visit.

The Cradle is an area covering 47 hectares, which sits approximately 50km from Johannesburg. While there are many sites within this area, we chose to visit the Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng.

The caves are significant in that they represent massive discoveries in human evolution; a complete skull was found here back in 1947 (known to scientists as "Mrs. Ples"), and an almost complete skeleton thought to be over three million years old was discovered here as well (known as "Little Foot").

Maropeng is the official vistor centre of the area; "Maropeng" means "returning to the place of origin" in Setswana, the main indigenous language where the Cradle is located.

We spent a day road-tripping in and around the Cradle:

 Exhibits at the interpretation facility: home of many early life discoveries and mammal fossils 

Inside Sterkfontein Caves- limestone caves known to be the world's richest early hominid site

Statue of Dr. Robert Broom (archaeologist who discovered hominid fossils): Rub his nose for good luck or his hand for wisdom, but rub both and you're doomed. Is it any surprise that the guys chose luck over wisdom?

Exploring the area around Maropeng

The place we were looking for all along for lunch, without-a-doubt the best Biltong stop, and ending the day at Irene's Dairy Farm. A solid day.