The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa
The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa comprises three sites related to the origins of modern human behaviour.
They are caves and rock shelters, where stone tools, charcoals, ashes, skulls and bones of homo sapiens have been found. Some caves showed evidence of bone tools, arrowheads, marine shell-beads, grass bedding and medicinal plants.
Community Perspective: Tamas made a surprise visit to Sidubu Cave in 2002.
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Szucs Tamas
Hungary - 28-Jul-24 -I've just recently realized that one of the oddest episodes of my 2002 South Africa trip became a WH site. That time somebody from ZA convinced some Central European tour operators, that Durban could be an ideal holiday destination for the middle class of New Europe, who are much less safety sensitive - and much more price sensitive - than the Westerners. A Slovak charter airline - with the least creative name ever: Travel Service - launched a weekly service from Budapest to Durban - with Boeing737s, absolutely incapable of long-haul trips. We had two interim stops - in Aswan and Zanzibar - to refill the plane, during the 12-hour flight in seats designed for the Spanish Inquisition.
For the inauguration flight, a group of Central Europan journalists, tour operators and other experts was invited by the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Board for a two-week field trip. The first week was ok - we visited the must-see destinations of KZN from St Lucia Wetland Park to Drakensberg. Most of the group flew back after this week - only some of us remained. That week we were introduced to tier-two sites, that had - according to our partners - "great potential". Some of these - like Hluhluwe - were really interesting, but some were rather disappointing like sidubu cave, that's now on the list We just stopped once at a place that was said to be sacred for the Zulu people and - we were told - that important archaeological excavations were held there, with great findings.
It was not far away from a tar road, and our local partner enthusiastically talked about the sanctity of the place. Otherwise, it was utterly uninteresting. A rock outcrop in the woods. We did not even go very close - I do not remember exactly why, I think I simply did not think it worth climbing there. Our partners from KZN then were eagerly asking us whether the tourists would like such places and were somewhat disappointed when I told them, that even if it is so sacred without some kind of show, it would not sell. We were told that a visitor centre is planned - as far as I know, it is still under construction. The Budapest-Durban flight did not last long, was discontinued after some months.
Site Info
- Full Name
- The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa
- Unesco ID
- 1723
- Country
- South Africa
- Inscribed
- 2024
- Type
- Cultural
- Criteria
-
3 4 5
- Categories
- Paleontology - Human evolution
- Link
- By ID
Site History
2024 Name change
Upon inscription, from "The Emergence of Modern Humans: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa" to "The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa"
2024 Inscribed
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