Revealing the hidden : the cradle of humankind

Abstract

Within our current society, humankind often separates 'human place' from 'natural place'. This alienation from nature leads human beings to believe that activities outside of protected natural areas have no effect on the areas demarcated as 'natural' (Mang 2007). This belief is evident within the landscape of the Cradle of Humankind, the only UNESCO-protected natural and cultural World Heritage Site, which is under threat from past and present social and economic activities, including acid mine drainage and poor farming practices. These activities within the Cradle are however not only threatening what is left of the historical landscape, but are also placing pressure on the hidden networks of the landscape. Among the networks which are hidden, is the vulnerable karst ecosystem, which hosts the endangered Schreiber's long-fingered bat colonies, which, in turn, impact on local farm production and the livelihoods of the community (Durand et al. 2010:74). A significant, yet vulnerable area within the Cradle is Bolt's Farm, located south-west of the Sterkfontein Caves, and forms the focus of this dissertation. It hosts some of the oldest fossiliferous deposits discovered in the area, which offer modern humankind a view into the historical landscape of the Cradle. This historical layer of the landscape, together with the destruction caused by the economic layer, and the opportunities within the social layer, make up the landscape of Bolt's Farm. Its existing networks are investigated, uncovering the threats to the landscape and using architecture as a way to reveal the opportunities inherent to the landscape. The proposed programme of a tourism route, linking archaeological and bat research facilities builds on the existing tourism network of the Cradle, while protecting the historical and natural landscapes, through the remediation of the destructive impact of the economic landscape.

In ons huidige samelewing, skei die mensdom dikwels 'menslike plek' van 'natuurlike plek'. Die vervreemding van die natuur bring mense onder die indruk dat aktiwiteite buite beskermde natuurlike areas geen effek het op die areas wat afgebaken is as 'natuurlik' nie (Mang 2007). Di? wanpersepsie word duidelik gesien in die landskap van die Wieg van die Mensdom, die enigste UNESCO-beskermde, natuurlike en kulturele W?relderfenisterrein wat in gedrang gebring word deur die sosiale en ekonomiese aktiwiteite van die verlede en hede, insluitend suur mynwater en onvanpaste boerderypraktyke. Di? aktiwiteite binne die grense van die Wieg is egter nie net besig om die historiese landskap in gedrang te bring nie, maar plaas ook druk op die verskuilde netwerke van die landskap. Dit sluit die kwesbare karts ekosisteem, waarvan die bedreigde Schreiber's lang-vinger vlermuis deel vorm in, wat op sy beurt die plaaslike boerderye en die lewensbestaan van die plaaslike gemeenskap be?nvloed (Durand et al. 2010:74). 'n Merkwaardige, maat tog kwesbare area in die Wieg is Bolt's se plaas. Di? area is suidwes gele? van die Sterkfontein Grotte, en vorm die basis van die verhandeling. Die area bevat van die oudste fossiel neerslae wat in die area ontdek is, wat die moderne mensdom insig in die historiese landskap van die Wieg bied. Saam met die historiese laag van die landskap, vorm die ekonomiese en sosiale lae, die landskap van Bolt se Plaas. Die bestaande netwerke word ondersoek om die bedreigings van die landskap aan die lig te bring, en argitektuur as 'n middel te gebruik om die geleenthede wat eie aan die landskap is, te verbind. Die voorgestelde programme, in die vorm van 'n toerisme roete wat argeologiese en vlermuis navorsing fasiliteite verbind, bou op die bestaande toerisme netwerke wat gevind word in die Wieg. Terselfde tyd word die historiese en natuurlike lae van die landskap beskerm deur die remedi?ring van die vernietigende invloed van die ekonomiese landskap.