News

It is 2021! The new year we have all been waiting for. The year we would all get out of our funk.

Maropeng’s intrepid curator, Keneiloe Molopyane, has been part of a team uncovering a mystery at a new fossil site in the Cradle of Humankind. The site is called UW 105 and since September, teams of scientists have been meticulously mapping out the underground area and creating an above-ground replica to analyse their findings thoroughly. She’s penned a piece on the fascinating work going on at the site.

Pre-order a picnic basket and enjoy a day outdoors at our beautiful Stone Park. Here’s what’s on the menu …

The Maropeng Visitor Centre and the Sterkfontein Caves will be open during the festive season. Please note, we are only allowing online bookings in order to limit the number of visitors to our site. No tickets will be sold on site.

We’ve put together an FAQ to help you plan your trip to our sites in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site in Gauteng, South Africa.

South Africa’s own history means there are many old battlefields across our country. Celebrated environmentalist and author Vincent Carruthers is producing a three-part series for Maropeng on old battlefield sites in the Cradle of Humankind. Here’s the third and final instalment, on the secret Swartkop Commando.

In the second instalment of his remarkable series on old battlefields in the Cradle of Humankind, Vincent Carruthers takes us back to the Battle of Kalkheuwel - a deadly confrontation on a high ridge honeycombed with lime mines and the dolomitic caves.

A skull discovered at the Drimolen Palaeocave System in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site is making global headlines. Researchers say the Paranthropus robustus specimen shows evidence of microevolution. The findings were published earlier this week.

On 11 November each year, millions around the world mark Remembrance Day in tribute to lives lost in World War I. South Africa’s own history means there are many old battlefields in areas across our country. Celebrated environmentalist and author, Vincent Carruthers is producing a three-part series for Maropeng on these sites in the Cradle of Humankind. Here’s the first instalment, on the battle of Dwarsvlei.

Since we moved to lockdown level 1 in September, we have received a flood of enquiries from South Africans eager to visit or revisit our vast site. In all likelihood, and at the very least, Maropeng, the official visitor centre to the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, and the Maropeng Boutique Hotel, will be able to reopen in December this year.

There is only one Cradle of Humankind - and although it is foregrounded in the amazing world heritage site in Gauteng, with it unparalleled collection of early hominin fossils, in fact the Cradle of Humankind is the entire continent of Africa, in its unparalleled diversity. In South Africa, we have two “Cradles”.

“Once upon a time there was a little girl obsessed with Barbies - 23 Barbies – watching an episode of Tintin and then everything changed.”

The team at Maropeng is mourning the loss of a dear friend and colleague, Dinaledi Esau. Dinaledi joined the Maropeng team in 2013 and was a member of the first team of Cradle Ambassadors when the programme was launched in 2017.

It’s nearly that time of year again when the landscape in and around the Cradle of Humankind becomes a blaze of colour as the weather starts to warm up. While the area is best known for its fossil treasures, it also boasts a remarkably rich biodiversity that is on full display in the warmer months.

Women’s Month is all about celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of our female leaders, heroes and icons. So, in this month of August, Maropeng is turning the spotlight on the women who are making a contribution to palaeosciences in South Africa.

The Maropeng brand is recognised for so much more than its work showcasing the world-renowned fossil discoveries that have come out of South Africa.

A tour of Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves is a voyage of delight and discovery. It will take you on a trip through time as you visit caves famous for their fossil finds and learn more about humanity’s history.

Whether they’re making their own stone tools, squeezing through caves or making anthropology accessible to more South Africans, our country has a vibrant cohort of young scientists who are doing their bit to uncover humanity’s origin story. During Youth Month this year, we decided to turn the spotlight on them.

“It may be innocuous to you, my friend and peer,” my black, 18-year-old son wrote to his white friends at school.

“I don’t usually like posting and talking about race, because it’s such a sensitive, controversial topic. And most people don’t seem to care when it doesn’t involve them. But I would like to ask you a few questions.

We love connecting with you, so this #FossilFriday we’ve decided to do something a little different! Join our #FossilFriday live Twitter chat to talk about your favourite stones, bones and the fascinating stories around them. 💀

What does it mean to be African? What sets this continent apart? How can we reclaim Africa’s stories? This Africa Day, we’re pondering the big questions by watching some of the most thought-provoking TED talks on these subjects.

When she took the reins as curator at Maropeng, adventurer and archaeologist Keneiloe Molopyane had a compelling notion of the importance of museums in society. Nine months later, on International Museum Day, Molopyane, an archaeologist and biological anthropology PhD candidate, shared her thoughts on the impact and importance of museums on the African continent.

Covid-19 and the lockdowns that countries are dealing with worldwide have meant a reinvention of how people stay connected. Faced with this challenge, three archaeologists, Matt Lotter, Tim Forssman and Matt Caruana, have come together to produce a podcast titled “Bones and Stones”.

Right now, the best thing we can all do for each other is to stay at home and stay healthy. While you’re not able to come and visit us right now, we know you’ll #VisitTheCradleLater. In the meantime, share your best pictures of your adventures in the Cradle of Humankind with us.