On 23 January 2024, a groundbreaking exhibition opened in the De Hoop Nature and Marine Reserve in the Western Cape. The exhibition, called Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behaviour, presents evidence of the first signs of modern human behaviour. The discoveries were made at the Blombos Cave, Klipdrift Shelter and Klasies River sites.
The exhibition starts with a statement: « Africa is our original home », as if to prompt visitors to ask questions about human origins. The « Origins of the Behaviour of Southern Homo Sapiens » exhibition in the De Hoop Nature Reserve depicts the cultural heritage left by these distant ancestors of modern-day man.An opportunity for many visitors to immerse themselves in the way of life of Homo sapiens.The aim is to gain a better understanding of the evolution of the human species.
“I knew I had to do a movement to greater space to bring the youth through a new environment and also through archaeology ”
Dalfrenzo LAING, De Hoop Collection ambassador – South Africa
What can we learn from a better understanding of prehistory in Africa? This is the question that the exhibition « Origins of the behaviour of Homo Sapiens in the South » aims to answer by creating a correlation with current events. In particular, the issue of adaptations to the environment and climate change. According to several researchers, human evolution is closely linked to that of the environment.
“The challenge was how to make all this complex science available and exciting for the public. Because we are definitely sure the greatest part of the story of the world is here in the Southern part of Africa. We have seen things that have entirely changed our species.”
Craig FOSTER, Exhibition co-curator – South Africa
The discovery in South Africa in June 2023 of the oldest tombs in prehistory, dating back at least 100,000 years to the first traces of mortuary practices, bears witness to the fact that the prehistory of Africa is the prehistory of humanity….
