Sterkfontein Caves

Sterkfontein is one of the world's most productive and important paleo-anthropological sites. The Sterkfontein stalactitic caves, consist of six linked underground chambers, with a lake at a depth of 40m/130ft. After their discovery in 1896 the caves were at first used as a limestone quarry, destroying many stalactites and stalagmites.

In 1936 two students discovered fragments of a baboon's skull in the caves, and thereafter archaeological excavations began, continuing until 1951. These brought to light, along with numerous other bones, the skull of a humanoid creature known as Australopithecus africanus, estimated to be 2 million years old found by Dr Robert Broom in 1947 and dubbed Mrs Ples. In 1998, scientists discovered a skeleton which dates the presence of early mankind in the valley at 3.5 million years ago.

Unesco has declared the Sterkfontein Caves and the Cradle of Humankind area in which it sits, a World Heritage Site.

There are conducted visits to the caves, which have not yet been completely explored. Some of the most important finds from the caves are displayed in the nearby Robert Broom Museum.