Hofmeyr Skull, Hominin fossil discovery site in Hofmeyr, Eastern Cape, South Africa.
The Hofmeyr Skull is a hominin fossil that displays the bone structure of our early ancestors and reveals important information about their physical form. The specimen has been carefully studied and its features tell us much about what these people looked like.
Discovered in 1952 near the Vlekpoort River, scientific dating revealed the skull to be approximately 36,200 years old. This age determination made the fossil an important find for understanding how modern humans came to be.
The specimen demonstrates how early people moved out of Africa to different parts of the world. Its features connect characteristics found in both African and European populations from that period.
The fossil is housed in the Port Elizabeth Museum, where visitors can view it under protective conditions. The best time to visit is outside peak hours, when there is less crowding and you can take your time to observe it carefully.
The skull shows features that differ clearly from the Khoisan peoples who later lived in the region. This suggests that different human groups lived in South Africa at different times.
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