Wits University Paleoanthrology Professor, Ron Clarke has unveiled the skeleton of australopithecus, ‘Little Foot in Johannesburg.
The fossils were discovered 3.7 million years ago after the species fell into a cave in Sterkfontein.
Clarke, who studied the species says, “This is the most complete astrolethiticus skeleton ever discovered from anywhere and she is the oldest astrolethiticus hominin in Southern Africa.”
He says Little Foot was preserved from being eaten by scanangers because she fell into a cave.
Clarke says it took a long time to excavate the fossils out of the cave because they used small tools as they refused to blast it and drill it out of the rock to avoid damage .
“Let me tell you something about Little Foot, she is a lady, we know that from the anatomy of her pelvis, also of the area of the face, the canine and the size of the teeth are smaller than those of a male of this species, in stature she was probably 1.30 metres.”
Wits Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adam Habib says today is a glorious occasion.
” It is important that South Africa and Wits play a leading role in the production of cutting edge global knowledge.”
