The Context of Fossil Hominid Discoveries in Africa

The fossil record of human ancestors in Africa presents a significant proportion of our evidence for human evolution. Discovered primarily around the Great Lakes of East Africa, the Riverine deposits of the Middle Awash and the deep caves of southern Africa, understanding how and where these important fossils are found is critical to using them in interpreting when and how important events happened in human evolution. In this lecture, Lee Berger examines how original hominid fossils are preserved, and explores the context of discoveries, discussing the challenges and hard facts of how and where the fossils of ancient human relatives are found on the continent of Africa.

To watch the previous lectures in the series go here:
Visiting the Taung Child
   • Visiting the Taung Child at Wits University  
Rise of Prometheus
   • Rise of Prometheus  
The muddle in the middle Pleistocene
   • The muddle in the Middle Pleistocene  
Exploring the Fossil Hominid Vault at the University of the Witwatersrand
   • Exploring the Fossil Hominid Vault at the ...  
Introduction to Sterkfontein
   • Introduction to Sterkfontein  
Species concepts in Palaeoanthropology
   • Species Concepts in Palaeoanthropology  

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