Showcasing humankind's cradle
Lucille Davie
28 February 2005
Stand by for the opening of the Sterkfontein Cave interpretation centre - the first phase of a multi-million rand development at the Cradle of Humankind outside Johannesburg - and a new experience at one of the world's most important archaeological sites.
Previously, visitors to the site - situated 40 kilometres west of Johannesburg - parked within 30 metres of the cave entrance, bought a ticket at the nearby café, did a very brief whip-around of a shabby single-room display, took a half-hour tour of the cave, then went home.
From the end of March, the experience promises to be much more exciting. A new visitors' area and building is nearing completion, at a safe distance of 250 metres from the sensitive site, greatly enhancing a visit to this World Heritage Site.
The broader Cradle of Humankind site consists of 47 000 hectares, with numerous caves, the most famous of which is the Sterkfontein Cave. Three million years of human
activity have taken place in and around the cradle, including man's earliest-known mastery of fire.
Listening to Professor Philip Tobias (right) during a visit the Sterkfontein Caves during the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (from left to right): South African President Thabo Mbeki, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Mrs Annan, primatologist Jane Goodall, and Deputy President Jacob Zuma. (Photo: United Nations)
Forty percent of all the world's human ancestor fossils have been found here, including several of the world's most famous and important fossils - among them Mrs Ples (now believed to be Master Ples), dating back 2.5-million years, and Little Foot, an almost complete ape-man skeleton between 3 and 3.5-million years old (though a recent study puts it at just over 4-million years old).
A further 500 hominid
fossils and over 9 000 stone tools have been excavated in the area, and work is ongoing.
Sterkfontein Cave
The experience will consist of visits to two sites: Sterkfontein, and eight kilometres northwards, Mohale's Gate. Sterkfontein focuses on the scientific aspect of the site, while Mohale's Gate will be a more hands-on educational experience.
The R163-million project involves a consortium consisting of Furneaux Stewart GAPP Consortium, Wits University, and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs, which has supplied the funding.
A monolith at the roadside (just off the R563) marks the entrance to the visitors' centre at the Sterkfontein Cave. This leads to a flat, low single-storey building housing a restaurant, an auditorium, curio kiosk and a hominid exhibition hall with interactive exhibits.
Once visitors have taken in the exhibits and bought their tickets, they'll walk up to the
cave near the top of a koppie, where they will go on a half hour tour.
Once out the cave, visitors will follow the path back down to the car park past a small building where scientists will be working with fossils, visible to visitors as part of the experience.
The area is mostly grassland, scattered with trees, shrubs and rocks. The area around the visitors' centre will be planted with indigenous grasses, giving way to the indigenous plants and trees around the top of the koppie, where the cave lies.
Mohale's Gate
Eight kilometres down the road is Mohale's Gate, the showpiece of the project. It is positioned up the side of the koppie, where ancient rocky outcrops will mark the setting of a huge burial mound or "tumulus". This will be a partly disguised grassy mound 20 metres in height and 35 metres in diameter, in a teardrop shape, to be constructed of steel, glass and concrete.
Artist's impression of the Mohale's Gate "tumulus". (Graphic: Cradle of Humankind)
The tumulus will consist of four storeys, with the basement level consisting of an underground lake, which visitors will be able to explore by means of explorers' boats on a delineated path, moving through a time line.
From the underground lake, visitors will enter a square tube cave, moving out from the teardrop structure, gently curved around, taking a 150 metre long walk through another time line.
Along the way, visitors will be able to admire the original Mrs Ples skull and other original hominid fossils. The cave is designed to resemble a spine, with vertebrae protruding above ground, becoming the focus of the walk back to the building.
Sketch showing different elevations of the Mohale's Gate "tumulus". (Graphic: Cradle of Humankind)
The rest of the building will consist of a conference centre, offices, a 5-star restaurant and an observation deck affording visitors views of the surrounding site.
West of the tumulus will be a 5-star hotel in the form of explorers' tents, consisting of 24 units. South-east of the tumulus, an amphitheatre for 5 000 people is taking shape.
Mohale's Gate is to open at the end of 2005. So far, the lake and amphitheatre have been excavated, and the offices are at roof height. About a third of the construction is complete.
Mohale's Gate is to form the first part of the Cradle of Humankind visit, and from there visitors will move on to the more formal
Sterkfontein visitor's centre and cave.
Wits University and the Gauteng Department are pleased with the progress, and the sensitive handling by the construction team of the Sterkfontein site.
Source: City of Johannesburg
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