archaeology and palaeoanthropology 9
A R C H A E O L O G Y A N D P A L A E O A N T H R O P O L O G Y
archaeology. Professional archaeologists extremely important in the development of
with a minimum of a Masters degree have ecotourism and also in the popularisation
set up private companies to do the neces- of archaeology on a national scale.
sary heritage resource assessments, and this
has boosted the number of archaeologists After a long period of development, the In-
gainfully employed in the country. But not stitute for the Study of Human Evolution has
all is positive. The current underfunding of finally been launched at Wits under its new
the museums and the closure of the depart- director, Francis Thackeray. The institute is
ment of archaeology at SU have reduced planned to be a home for the Hominin fos-
opportunities in the academic sector. Many sils held at Wits and will act as a research
of the museum archaeologists have either centre for scholars within the schools of
supplemented their jobs with CRM work, or geosciences and anatomical sciences and
have left the museums entirely. hopefully will also act as a focus for post-
graduate studies and the training of South
Of world importance is the proclamation
African students in palaeoanthropology.
of several South African archaeological
and palaeoanthropological locations as The importance of archaeology and palae-
United Nations Educational, Scientific and oanthropology to South Africa must not be
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World understated. There are more professional
Heritage Sites. The first of these was the archaeologists and palaeoanthropologists
combined ‘fossil hominid sites of Sterkfon- in South Africa than in the rest of sub-Sa-
tein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and environs’ haran Africa combined, and South Africa is
in 1999. The fossil sites, now also known as the African leader in archaeological pub-
the ‘Cradle of Humankind’ not only contain lications. The combination of our long
places of scientific interest, but also loca- archaeological record with its complexities
tions of historical importance, two new mu- of foragers, pastoralists, and agriculturalists
seums, hotels and community social invest- sharing the landscape with the evidence
ment projects. The more distant fossil sites of our ancient human roots in the form of
of Taung and Makapansgat were added in the early Hominin sites, gives us an ancient
a UNESCO extension in 2005. The uKhahl- heritage that few places on earth share.
amba/Drakensberg Park was listed in 2000 The importance of archaeology to the na-
as a mixed heritage site not only for its tional psyche has been recognised in the
natural beauty and fauna and flora, but also new national medals awarded by govern-
for its spectacular concentration of multi- ment to South Africans of note. The ‘Order
coloured rock paintings. The Mapungubwe of Mapungubwe’ displays the gold rhinoc-
Cultural Landscape was also declared a eros found at the site against a background
World Heritage Site in 2003 and plans are in of the flat-topped Mapungubwe hill and is
advanced preparation to create a Transfron- given to South African citizens who have
tier Park in the region shared by Botswana demonstrated excellence and exceptional
and Zimbabwe. These developments are achievement in the public sphere, while
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