The city of Johannesburg is home to the Heritage Site, Cradle of Humankind.  The cultural and social history of the region and the country is evident in the vast array of museums in the city.  Many travelers interested in world history visit the city every day, visiting the museums and staying in one of the many luxury hotels.  Johannesburg just about an hour drive from the famous caves at Sterkfontein.  This has been one of the most productive archaeological sites in the world.  The caves are one aspect of the Cradle of Humankind.  Two famous findings in the caves have been the complete skull of the extinct species, Australopithecus, and the close to complete skeleton of an ‘ape-man’, believed to be more than four million years old.  The study of fossil hominids reveals the stages of evolution, of the world, and more specifically, of the species of homo sapiens.  They show us where we came from.

In 1936, the first fossils were found in the Sterkfontein caves.  Australopithecus africanus is a species of hominids that are very closely related to human beings and existed as recently as two to three million years ago.  The title of the heritage site, Cradle of Humankind, is in response to the the adult fossils of the ape-men that were found, and due to the fact that these fossils are bringing information to scientists and primatologists that reveal the beginnings of the human race.   The site is an archaeological dig, however over the years has become home to many conference facilities, restaurants and hotel accommodations.  Those visiting will be able to access the caves, and take walks along the boardwalk that winds through the site and to witness first hand the location of the fossils that are now acclaimed world wide.  There are also tours and discussions on other subjects of natural science, such as the formations and the geological history of the caves as well as the early forms of life of other species of mammals and species of the botanical world.  This is an interesting and emotional journey into the journey that has brought the human species to where we are today.