ShowMe South Africa

The Wonderwerk Cave, Kuruman, Northern Cape

The ancient Dolomitic bedrock of the Kuruman district of the Kalahari has created some beautiful and fascinating features, such as the Eye of Kuruman, Boesmansgat and the huge and archeologically important Wonderwerk Cave – a National Heritage site.

The Wonderwerk Cave is a dolomitic ‘solutions cavity’ that runs horizontally into the base of a low-lying hill in the Kuruman Hills system, and it is one of the oldest human habitations on earth – it has housed people for hundreds of thousands of years.

Evidence of this human habitation can be seen in the rock art at the cave’s entrance, but has also been found in the various sedimentary layers that were deposited in the cave over time, providing a unique record of early human life in Southern Africa, the use of fire and the changing climates and associated ‘life-styles’.

The Wonderwerk Cave is an active archeological site under the stewardship of the McGregor Museum in Kimberley and with restricted access along a walkway, but an interpretive centre at the cave’s entrance features displays detailing the past archeological finds and their importance. In addition there are camping facilities and the landscape around the cave is a conservation area and bird sanctuary.

Getting there: Take the R31 south from Kuruman to Danielskuil. The total travelling distance is about 47km.

More info on the quaint town of Kuruman More info on the Kalahari area

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