The formation and sedimentary infilling of the Limeworks Cave, Makapansgat, South Africa

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dc.contributor.authorLatham, Alfred G.
dc.contributor.authorHerries, Andy I. R.
dc.contributor.authorKuykendall, K.
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-12T07:34:54Z
dc.date.available2015-01-12T07:34:54Z
dc.date.issued2003
dc.descriptionMain articleen_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe remnant cavern of the Limeworks australopithecine site has a number of special features. Firstly, unlike Swartkrans and Sterkfontein, which developed in relatively flat relief, the Limeworks Cave developed as part of a mountain karst. Then upon abandonment by its formative river, there formeda unique, conjoined series of tall stalagmites and columns arranged in an irregular arc against the walls of the cavern. This arc had the effect of dividing up the space into a central volume and several lateral alcoves. The spaces were separated from each other, so that, when the cavern began to unroof, each came to be filled by its own surficial deposits or, in some cases, not at all. At only one level is it possible to show that a gap existed between two adjacent repositories so as to produce common, contemporaneous deposits. This turns out to be the hyena den layer known as the Grey Breccia, and a connection was made possible with the centre by spaces that existed at local roof level for a limited period. The Grey Breccia appears to be about contemporaneous with the white bone breccia at the back of the cavern, whereas the black bone breccia in theMain Quarry is slightly younger than these two. The recognition of distinctive depositional horizons has allowed us to reconstruct a stratigraphic section for all deposits from the known base to the known top on the western side of the site. This section can be used for magnetostratigraphic purposes to construct a firmer chronology that includes the Grey Breccia; but further work is required to tie in the eastern side.en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipArts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB, UK), and NERCen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNoneen_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0078-8554
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/16438
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherBernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Researchen_ZA
dc.relation.ispartofseriesNone;
dc.subjectMakapansgat, Australopithecus, Grey Breccia, stratigraphy.en_ZA
dc.titleThe formation and sedimentary infilling of the Limeworks Cave, Makapansgat, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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Volume 39 December 2003