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"Drimolen" World Heritage Site – ‘Cradle of Humankind'
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A World Heritage Site is an area that is deemed to have exceptional universal value. It is protected and preserved against threats of changing social and economic conditions and natural decay. The World Heritage Convention, a body established by UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) is responsible for inscribing the chosen site.
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Once a site has been selected, it is included on the World Heritage site list and is protected for future generations against threats of damage caused by natural and mechanical conditions.
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Benefits of a World Heritage Site
The site receives national and international recognition, and is likely to attract tourists to the area. This has positive implications for job creation and economic growth for both the area and it's people.
The listed site also has an opportunity of receiving financial assistance from the World Heritage Fund to manage training and technical programmes in the preservation of the area. Other benefits include emergency assistance from the fund, to enable urgent action to repair damage caused by adverse human activity or natural disasters. The most important benefit is that World Heritage Sites are preserved for future generations. Some of the most famous World Heritage Sites include the Tower of London in England, The Pyramids of Egypt and The Victoria Falls between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Why the Cradle of Humankind?
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The Cradle of Humankind is unique in that since 1947, there have been great scientific discoveries, which have been a breakthrough in the search for the origins of humankind.
These include a 3,3 million year old ancestor of humankind, stone tools dating back some 2 million years and the world's most perfect pre-human skull ever found- affectionately known as Mrs Ples.
There are twelve explored sites within the Cradle of Humankind area:
Sterkfontein Caves, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, Gondolin, Plovers Lake, Wonder Cave, Drimolen, Haasgat, Coopers B, Gladysvale, Minaars and
Aside from the rich anthropological value of the area, the Cradle of Humankind also boasts game reserves, a Show cave which dates back 2 200 million years ago, and the first Gold mine on the Witwatersrand, conference centres and upmarket lodges. The area is also a rich haven for those with a passion for trout fishing and has restaurants of international standards.
The Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment is responsible for managing the project to conserve and appropriately develop the Cradle of Humankind.
The department has developed and is implementing a public participation plan, which involves all stakeholders, including farm owners and farm workers around the area, landowners and resident associations. A business plan has been formulated which focuses on the first three years of the project and includes the following areas: Inception phase; general administration, marketing and management; integrated environment and conservation management; communications, public awareness; training and tourism development, and visitor facilities.
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Tourism Vision & Potential
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The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site is already a fascinating tourist destination, but plans are underway to maximize the potential of this amazing and unique site. Ultimately, the Cradle of Humankind will offer natural, cultural and historical tourism experiences. Interactive and informative attractions and activities will be developed to ensure tourists have an extraordinary educational and recreational experience. Market segments include local, domestic and foreign day-trippers, school outings, special-interest groups and outdoor adventure enthusiasts.
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DRIMOLEN DIGGING SITE – at n’Gomo Safari Lodge
Palaeo-Tours offers the unique opportunity for you to visit the actual fossiliferous deposits at the site of Drimolen -- the pre-human fossil site first to yield a virtually complete skull of Australopithecus!
This site was only discovered in 1992 and is already the third richest hominid site in southern Africa. On the 26th of April 2000, the most complete female Australopithecus robustus skull (nicknamed Eurydice) along with a complete male jaw (nicknamed Orpheus) made world headlines, see picture below. The site has already unearthed 79 hominid fossils, a wealth of faunal remains and some remarkably well-preserved juvenile hominids. As the site is being excavated year round, visitors to Drimolen are afforded the unique opportunity to be among the first individuals to see fossils dating back to 2 million years coming to light!
The rich fossil site of Drimolen provides an excellent opportunity to see an excavation in progress
Drimolen's Eurydice & Orpheus
The skull is the most complete skull of its kind ever found. It was nicknamed by it discoverer Eurydice after the Greek legend because it was found lying almost cheek to jowl next to a male mandible nicknamed Orpheus.
Both specimens date between 2 to 1.5 million years ago. This species, Australopithecus robustus, lived successfully for nearly a million years and lived along side species within our own genus, Homo.
Why Drimolen will rock the World?
Drimolen has now become one of the most important hominid sites in the world. It has already yielded more than 79 hominid fossils that make it the third richest site in South Africa and it appears to have the potential to become the richest site of all.
Dr André Keyser first discovered the site on the 9th July 1992. On this day Dr Keyser was invited to visit a fossil site on the adjacent farm Daniëlsrust where a tooth of the giant extinct zebra, equus capensis had been found a few days before by a young geologist working for the Geological Surveyor, Mr. Murray Obbes. After visiting the Daniëlsrust site which did not look very promising Mr. Obbes offered to show Dr Keyser a large sinkhole on top of a hill on the farm Kromdraai 519JQ, now part of the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve and known as DRIMOLEN. The two scientists drove along the road to a locked gate where they walked through the veld towards the hill on which the sinkhole appeared. Along the way they passed an old abandoned lime works that Mr. Obbes knew but had not investigated. They crawled under dense trees and bushes to look for the cave entrance.
In the largest of the holes, now known as the "Main Quarry", Dr Keyser saw the back half of a monkey skull and part of an elephant skull in the wall of the quarry above the cave entrance. After this discovery the two scientists then proceeded to the top of the hill to investigate the sinkhole.
Dr Keyser realized the importance of the find and returned the following day to investigate the old lime works. It was immediately clear to Dr Keyser that the site had potential and on return the following week with a team of laborers to help carry the rocks that contained fossil bones, the first hominid fossil, an upper molar of an ape-man, was discovered. |
Find out about our tours and packages on offer at n’Gomo Safari Lodge and be part of this wonderful experience.
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Drimolen 
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