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Scientists found that the fossils in South Africa’s Sterkfontein Caves are between 3.4 million and 3.6 million years old. That means these hominids roamed the Earth around the same time as their East African relatives, such as our best-known African ancestor Lucy.
Lucy’s 3.2-million-year-old skeleton was found in Ethiopia in 1974. She belonged to the Australopithecus afarensis, one of the oldest known hominids. The fossils in the Sterkfontein Caves also belong to the genus Australopithecus†
The ancient bones were originally thought to be 2 to 2.6 million years old. The researchers used a new technique to date the natural material of the caves. This showed that the fossils were much older than previously thought.
The fossils included an almost complete skull found in 1947 of a woman named Mrs. Ples.
Cradle of humanity
The limestone caves at Sterkfontein, about 50 kilometers northwest of Johannesburg, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the caves are already hundreds Australopithecusfossils found. Nowhere in the world have more remains of this ancient human species been excavated. The caves are therefore known as the cradle of humanity.
According to the researchers, their study shows that human history is even more complex than scientists thought. To learn more about our evolution, they are also going to redate other fossils found in the cave.
The new findings are published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences †PNAS†