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The fossil record in the Fynbos Biome
The Fynbos Biome contains an abundance of fossil assemblages, many
of which include both human and non-human vertebrate fossils. The
earliest fossil remains are those from Langebaanweg. The site of
Baard’s Quarry, which is situated in close proximity to Langebaanweg,
is an equally important, although lesser-known fossil occurrence in
the region. In addition to an element of early Pliocene material, it
contains a faunal assemblage of presumed late Pliocene/early
Pleistocene age. Although the above-mentioned sites have yet to
produce hominid remains, evidence from similarly aged East African
sites indicates that they fall within the critical period when some
of our earliest ancestors made their first appearance. As such, they
are important regional resources for studies of African ecologies at
the dawn of mankind.
The Fynbos region also contains some of the most important
Pleistocene-aged fossil sites. The early to middle Pleistocene site
of Elandsfontein has produced thousands of fossils. In addition to
its diverse fauna, which includes both archaic and modern
components, Elandsfontein is famous for producing a middle
Pleistocene (Homo heidelbergensis) human calotte and mandibular
fragment.
Human remains have also been found in several terminal middle
Pleistocene to late Pleistocene fossil deposits in the region. These
include sites such as Hoedjiespunt 1 and Sea Harvest. The middle to
late Pleistocene archaeological site of Klasies River has produced
some of the earliest and most important modern human material to
date.
Terminal Pleistocene to Holocene faunal assemblages are well
represented in the region. Most faunal assemblages dating to this
time are archaeological. However, they remain an important source of
ecological/environmental data for this region. Most importantly,
there is also a large, well-dated collection of human osteological
remains dating to this period. This material is important to test
hypotheses of population continuity in the region during the late
Pleistocene to Holocene. |
