Cᵉ siècle av. J.-C.
South Africa
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
Sterkfontein is a South African fossil and archaeological locality where hominid teeth, a juvenile maxilla, and later a substantial cranium were recovered from successive cave infillings. The passage distinguishes an australopithecine-rich lower breccia from younger Members 4 and 5, separated by a substantial lapse of time. Stone artefacts occur abundantly in the younger deposits and broadly resemble the Developed Oldowan, while the hominid remains have been assigned variously to Australopithecus africanus and Homo.
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Le récit
At Sterkfontein, excavations in 1957–58 recovered approximately half a dozen hominid teeth and a fragmentary juvenile maxilla from the western Extension area. The stratigraphic relationships and age of this part of the cave infilling became central to interpreting the fossils. The red-brown Middle Breccia was originally considered to overlie the lower australopithecine breccia unconformably, a distinction later expressed through the designation of Members 4 and 5.
The passage states that a substantial lapse of time probably separated the successive accumulations. Faunal differences, especially among bovids, indicated markedly different ages, but the younger assemblage could not be dated precisely. Estimates ranged from approximately 0.5 million years to approximately 1.0 million years, leaving the chronological position of the hominid fossils uncertain.
Stone artefacts occur in substantial abundance only in this part of the Sterkfontein site, with many recovered in situ from the breccia. Their tool types broadly resemble the Developed Oldowan assemblages of Olduvai Gorge, although the proportions vary. The hominid remains were initially attributed to Australopithecus africanus, but the attribution was questioned after a cranium from the younger Member 5 showed cranio-facial and dental similarities to specimens assigned to Homo.
Cᵉ siècle av. J.-C.
South Africa
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
Sterkfontein is a South African fossil and archaeological locality where hominid teeth, a juvenile maxilla, and later a substantial cranium were recovered from successive cave infillings. The passage distinguishes an australopithecine-rich lower breccia from younger Members 4 and 5, separated by a substantial lapse of time. Stone artefacts occur abundantly in the younger deposits and broadly resemble the Developed Oldowan, while the hominid remains have been assigned variously to Australopithecus africanus and Homo.
Poursuivre l’exploration
Le récit
At Sterkfontein, excavations in 1957–58 recovered approximately half a dozen hominid teeth and a fragmentary juvenile maxilla from the western Extension area. The stratigraphic relationships and age of this part of the cave infilling became central to interpreting the fossils. The red-brown Middle Breccia was originally considered to overlie the lower australopithecine breccia unconformably, a distinction later expressed through the designation of Members 4 and 5.
The passage states that a substantial lapse of time probably separated the successive accumulations. Faunal differences, especially among bovids, indicated markedly different ages, but the younger assemblage could not be dated precisely. Estimates ranged from approximately 0.5 million years to approximately 1.0 million years, leaving the chronological position of the hominid fossils uncertain.
Stone artefacts occur in substantial abundance only in this part of the Sterkfontein site, with many recovered in situ from the breccia. Their tool types broadly resemble the Developed Oldowan assemblages of Olduvai Gorge, although the proportions vary. The hominid remains were initially attributed to Australopithecus africanus, but the attribution was questioned after a cranium from the younger Member 5 showed cranio-facial and dental similarities to specimens assigned to Homo.
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