Australopithecus sediba fossils return to Maropeng for a new fossil display

Sep 1, 2011 | Bianca Bothma
Skull 2
Fossils of Australopithecus sediba will be on display at Maropeng in September

Maropeng is thrilled to announce that the fossils of Australopithecus sediba will return to Maropeng as part of an exciting new display called More secrets of sediba revealed.

The adult female specimen of Australopithecus sediba, MH-2, will feature prominently in the display along with other fossils from the Malapa site in the Cradle of Humankind.

The fossil display opens on 9 September, with MH-2 at Maropeng until 26 September. The remainder of the fossils will remain on display until further notice.

This display will follow the announcement to the world on 8 September of astounding new research into these fossils by the University of the Witwatersrand’s Professor Lee Berger and his team.

The specimens will give visitors an in-depth look at recent discoveries in the Cradle of Humankind, and an insight into what these fossils tell us about our evolution.

Besides the original MH-2 fossils, comparative casts of Mrs Ples and other hominid specimens will allow visitors to observe some of their anatomical differences and similarities.

Also on display will be a cast of the Australopithecus sediba fossils known as MH-1, which were discovered close to MH-2, and are believed to belong to a young hominid male about 12 years of age.

Maropeng is offering visitors the opportunity of an exclusive tour of the fossil display with some of the great minds behind these new insights.

Each tour begins at 16h00 will be followed by a delicious dinner at the luxurious Maropeng Boutique Hotel restaurant. The cost per person for the tour and dinner is R350.

Book online the following dates:

• September 10: Tour led by Dr Bernhard Zipfel, curator of collections at the University of the Witwatersrand
• September 17: Tour led by Christine Steininger, permit holder for the Cooper’s Cave fossil sites
• September 24: Tour led by Dr Job Kibii, co-permit holder for the Malapa fossil site

Accommodation special

The tour and dinner can be combined with an overnight stay at the hotel that will allow you to wake up to the best views of Gauteng and a fresh continental buffet breakfast on the terrace.