Sterkfontein cave, in South Africa, is a part of the Cradle of Humanity World Heritage Site. Within the cave, fossil bones of early hominids (human ancestors) have been found on several occasions, from the genera Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and early Homo. Excavations are still ongoing, and in the 1990's a nearly complete Australopithecine called "Little Foot" was found.
Tswaing Meteor Crater was the site of an asteroid impact about 250,000 years ago. The impact left an uplifted rim of hills almost three-quarters of a mile in diameter, and about one hundred yards deep. The central part of the crater became filled with water, which is unusually salty from evaporation. The Tswaing Crater is about the same size as Meteor Crater in Arizona, but because Tswaing is much older, it is more eroded and overgrown. Tswaing is being considered by the UN for a "World Heritage Site" designation.
Bronkhorstspruit is a small village about 30 miles away from Pretoria. My South African friend Brian grew up on a small farm just outside of town, and took me there for a visit. It's the site of the Nan Wua Buddhist Temple (the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere).
The Cradle of Human Origins museum, at Maropeng
Museum entrance
The museum is aimed mostly at children (lots of school groups come here), and it begins with a Disney-style river raft ride.
Reconstructed Australopithecus africanus
A fossil stromatolite, one of the earliest forms of life on earth
Reconstruction of the australopithecine "Little Foot" as she was found
Hominid fossil skulls
Reconstructed hominids
Fossil skull of a Cynodont, an ancient mammal-like reptile
Sterkfontein site
The entrance to Sterkfontein cave, where a number of ancient hominid skeletons have been found
Limestone formation, known as "The Elephant", inside Sterkfontein Cave.
A layer of "breccia" rock, formed when sediments washed into the cave through holes in the ceiling, built up on the floor, and were fossilized. I am pointing to an antelope bone that is trapped inside the sediments. The ancient hominds did not live inside the caves---they fell in through the holes and were buried by sediment.
A hole leading from ground level into the cave below.
An old excavated area
Fossil mammal bones
Fossil hominid skulls
Homo habilis
Homo erectus
Homo neandertalensis
Stone tools
View of the African veldt from Sterkfontein cave site
Tswaing Meteorite Crater
Tswaing Crater lake
Exposed cut shows where the geological layers have been uplifted and folded by the impact
Nan Wua Buddhist temple located near the town of Bronkhorstspruit
On the right is my American friend Mike; on the left is my South African friend Brian, who grew up on a farm near Bronkhorstspruit
The town of Bronkhorstspruit
"Roxy's", a little diner with an American-50's motif. Since this is not a tourist area, I'm probably the first actual American anyone there has ever seen.
A scorpion I found underneath a rock. Probably a Parabuthus species. Very dangerous.
A dung scarab beetle I found in a pile of some herbivore poop.
A rock wall built by the local Zulu tribesmen and used for initiation ceremonies.