1. South African Cave Sites A lesson in Stratigraphy and Interpretation

2. Location of Sterfontein Cave Site

3. Sterkfontein Cave Site

4. Raymond Dart

5. The Taung Baby

6. Robert Broom

7. Vindication - Mrs. Ples

8. Little Foot

9. Dart’s Original Hypothesis: the Osteodontokeratic Hypothesis of predatory, cannibalistic australopithecines Literal translation bone, tooth and horn

10. Where did this come from? Cave sites = Living sites Signs of violence Assemblages included hominid bones and stone artifacts Fauna dominated by Jaws bones, end of long bones, & cranial fragments (teeth)

11. C. K. Brain Figured out the complex Stratigraphy Found the error in Darts hypothesis Hominids were not living in the caves!!

12. S. African Cave Formation Karst topography Limestone blocks Dissolution Chamber & entrance shaft Erosion and exposure

13. Leopard Kills

14. Carnivore Crunchers Bone assemblages from hyena dens yeild the same proportions of body parts as found in the S. African cave sites. Result of eating the softer parts of the bone

15. Cave Openings

16. Cave Stratigraphy

17. Dating difficulties