REPORT FOR STERKFONTEIN

INTRODUCTION

The trip was on 23 march 2006.  The trip was to go to Sterkfontein Caves.  I and my group and our coordinator Althea was there in Sterkfontein.  we are studying Human Evolution .  The site is located in Gauteng at Grugersdrop at the waest of Johannesburg The area is consits of Dolomite rocks under water table.  It comprises a strip of dozen Dolomite Limestone caves containing the fossilized remains of plants, animals, and hominids.  The site has nominated by Gauteng Provincial Government as one of the world heritage lists.  The site is cover about 47000 Hectors.  

 

The cave was donated to University of Witswatersrand.  Caves are famous for the Mrs Ples in 1947.  We were with the tourist guilder by the name called Rufus Mookwena.  Rufus gave us the rules for sterkfontein and he was guiding us about the cave.  He said that, when we are walking we must close to each other to avoid missing.  he also said that, Dr Robert Broom visited Sterkfontein in 1936.  He was the first scientist to find the first skull of 2,6 to 3 million years old Ape man. 

 

WHAT I OBSERVED IN STERKFONTEIN

At the entrance there is a species fossils displays and we observed the displayed stone written different types of species.  Lystrosourus from Karoo . 

It was known 245 million years ago. It was a vegetarian.

Thrinaxodon, it was ancestor of mammals ate a small animals and was mammals like reptiles.  

Dinosours birds, Pangaea, Massospondylus which was a south African Dinosaurs and was ancestors of Ostrich live 200 million years ago.  Foot of Australopithecus Africanus  from Sterkfontein believed 3,3 million years ago and had human like features.  It was direct comment ancestors of  Homo Habilis. 

 

AT THE CAVE

Firstly we watch the video which talk about the story of little foot we fail to see it  because the gate was closed.  We observed also the stature of Dr Robert Broom carrying the skull of Mrs Ples fossils

 

AT THE MUSEUM

We observe different types of hominids fossils, skulls, teeth, stone that were found  and  bones of fossils.  Under each fossils each characteristic , ancestors, year to be discovered and the different pictures and portrait of earliest hominids, Morden humans , chimpanzee and gorilla were shown.  

 

WHAT I LEARNED

It is easy to collect data if we are working as a group. 

 

Linette Netshiheni
CSIR Pretoria
0001
Cell: 0820446442
Tell: 012 841 2133
Fax: 012 842 3676
tnetshiheni@csir.co.za