Magnetostratigraphy of African Early Hominid Cave Sites

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This project will provide a thorough magnetostratigraphic study of cores from sedimentary deposits at three classic hominid cave sites in South Africa (Makapansgat, Sterkfontein, and Taung). The proposed research should result in the production of dates for some of these sites. Knowledge of the magnetic polarity of archaeological deposits is an important factor in developing an accurate time scale and thus in dating the fossils accurately. The South African hominid-bearing cave deposits have a very complicated stratigraphy and thus the temporal placement of these fossils has been difficult to resolve. The application of this modern technique will be a major contribution to our understanding of the timing and duration of previous events at these cave sites.