7 December 2006
After more than 10 years of the Little Foot fossil excavation, an in situ
cast made of this national treasure has been installed at the Maropeng Visitor
Interpretation Centre of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.
Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa today unveiled the cast of Little Foot, a
fossil described at the time of its discovery as the globally most important
fossil ever found. Fossils are often not accessible for public viewing and this
cast will now allow the world to see an accurate copy of the excavation of
Little Foot in situ at the Sterkfontein Caves. The cast shows the visitor what
Little Foot looks like now, before removal from the cave, at the site of
excavation. When the fossil is finally brought out and pieced together it will
be possible to see exactly what this early ancestor looked like. The cast
allows one to view Little Foot as it is in the breccias.
Little Foot is the world's most complete pre-human (australopithecine)
fossil unearthed to date and probably the oldest in southern Africa. When
completely excavated this fossil will reveal crucial scientific information on
how the australopithecines looked, moved and lived. Ten years for an excavation
may seem long but considering that the fossil has been at the Sterkfontein
Caves for over three million years, this excavation has actually taken place in
a twinkling of the eye.
According to Premier Shilowa, "Little Foot is without doubt one of South
Africa's most highly prized palaeontological discoveries. Although we know that
Little Foot walked upright and was closely related to the world famous Mrs
Ples, it is an even more ancient and more complete australopithecine fossil
find. The excavation has yielded the most complete australopithecine skull as
well as the most complete set of foot and leg bones. Furthermore, the skeleton
is extremely well preserved with most of the bones intact and joined in their
natural position. All of these qualities make it one of the most significant
hominid discoveries on the planet and one that every South African should be
proud of."
Little Foot was discovered after Professor Ron Clarke looked through boxes
of animal fossils in 1994. Amongst these he recognised bones belonging to a
hominid foot. Over time he accumulated many of the bones from this hominid's
left and right feet. From this he considered it unlikely that two feet of the
same specimen should have fallen into the cave, unless they had still been
attached to a whole body. He, therefore, deduced that the rest of the skeleton
must still be encased in the breccia of the Silberberg Grotto, a portion of
Sterkfontein Caves. In 1997 he made a cast of the broken tibia bone which he
thought should match the point in the breccia from which the foot bones had
been removed. Professor Clarke sent his two assistants Nkwane Molefe and Steven
Motsumi into the Silberberg Grotto and on the second day of their search they
found a fragment which astonishingly matched the tibia shaft and so the
complete skeleton of Little Foot was discovered. "The discovery of Little Foot
ranks amongst the most significant palaeoanthropological finds ever made in
Africa and for that matter in the entire world," said Professor Clarke,
proudly.
Vice Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, Professor Loyiso
Nongxa says, "Little Foot's excavation from its three million year encasing
took almost 10 years but I believe that its success gives us a unique
opportunity to uncover information about the appearance, locomotion and
lifestyle of the australopithecines and to unlock important secrets about human
evolution. As of today all South Africans and international visitors will be
able to view a first edition cast of this fascinating palaeoanthropological
find."
After the event a cast will be on display at Maropeng (Sterkfontein will
only be installed at a later stage).
Issued by the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and Dinokeng Blue IQ
Projects of the Gauteng Provincial Government.
For more information contact:
Ms Reshma Lakha-Singh
Cell: 082 852 8405
Ms Prim Gower
University of the Witwatersrand Communications Department
Cell: 083 229 9011
Ms Erica Saunders
Maropeng Marketing Manager
Tel: (014) 577 9000
Cell: 082 451 2934
Background information:
* The Gauteng Provincial Government is the designated management authority
responsible for developing and protecting this extraordinary site for
posterity. There are 13 excavated sites which have been identified within the
area. These have already been internationally recognised in the World Heritage
Site listing and have now individually been declared as national heritage sites
by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA). The careful management
of these unique sites is a clear priority if the site is to be preserved and
sustainably utilised.
* The world renowned Sterkfontein Caves is home to the oldest and most
continuous palaeontological dig in the world and it is the site where the
famous pre-human skull, (affectionately known as Mrs Ples) and Little Foot an
almost complete hominid skeleton dated 2,3 and 4,17 million years old
respectively were found. No one knows what still lies hidden in the rocks of
the Sterkfontein Caves and other sites. The World Heritage Site status ensures
that what is deep within its core will be protected and explored forever.
* The Cradle of Humankind is in the process of becoming a major
international tourism destination. The Gauteng Provincial Government through
its Blue IQ strategic economic infrastructure programme, almost expended a
budget of R189 million for investment in roads and bulk infrastructure to
develop the site and leverage in private sector investment in tourism
development. In October 2003, the Gauteng Provincial Government entered into a
contract valued at R163 million with Maropeng Afrika Leisure (Pty) Ltd for the
construction, design and operation of world class exhibitions and recreational
facilities showcasing the site. This Public Private Partnership (PPP) is the
first of its kind, a concession agreement requiring Maropeng Afrika Leisure
(Pty) Ltd to pay an annual concession fee, which government will invest in
community benefit projects and in scientific research.
* This development called Maropeng opened its door to the public in December
2005. It also includes the substantially upgraded facilities at the world
famous Sterkfontein Caves. Maropeng is situated on a 100 hectare site about
seven km from Sterkfontein and includes a 2 500 metres square space of
exhibitions exploring the past, present and future of humankind, viewing decks,
an outdoor amphitheatre, a craft market, choices of restaurants and banqueting
facilities and a boutique hotel.
* The visitor orientation centre at the Sterkfontein Caves which opened for
trade in March 2005 includes a hominid exhibition, a cave tour and walkways, a
small restaurant and conference centre and a retail outlet.
* Four additional visitor orientation centres are being planned for
development within the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. The facilities
at these centres will be themed on the primal elements of earth, air, fire and
water and they with Sterkfontein and Maropeng will constitute a network of
interpretative facilities connected by scenic routes. The orientation centres
are to be located at strategic access points around the World Heritage Site,
providing natural gateways to the area.
* This network of facilities will connect the over 270 diverse private
sector tourism attractions in the area, offering outdoor activities such as
hiking, ballooning, fishing and horse trails, a variety of restaurants and
coffee shops and arts and crafts outlets to suit all budgets.
* The mandate of the Gauteng Provincial Government is to create sustainable
jobs, to provide decent housing, schools and healthcare for our people. The
investment in the site will produce benefits for science certainly but also
sustainable benefits for the community as a whole and in an ongoing way. The
new developments have resulted in approximately 600 jobs in the area, while 1
200 temporary jobs have been created during the construction phase. The
building of roads and other infrastructure developments have also created a
further 600 temporary jobs.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Government
7 December 2006
