Swartkrans, overlooking the Blaauwbank River valley, in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, is one of the world's most important palaeoanthropological sites. It tells a unique story about our common human past that has enthralled scientists across the world. Since fossil bones were first identified there by Dr. Robert Broom in 1948, the site has made an invaluable contribution to our understanding of human evolution. 

The findings from the excavation at Swartkrans of the cave deposits have unlocked our understanding of these early human ancestors and the environment they lived in. Both the international field school held at the National Heritage Site by Dr CK ‘Bob’ Brain and Dr Travis Pickering, and the work on recent deposits by Dr Morris Sutton have enhanced our knowledge of this site. Other notable scientists who have contributed to the site include Professor Ron Clarke, Professor Francis Thackeray and Dr Kathleen Kuman of the University of the Witwatersrand. Swartkrans has fossil remains that date to between 1 and 1.8 million years ago. These include the largest sample of Australopithecus (Paranthropus) robustus in southern Africa, as well as remains of the probable tool-maker, early Homo (our own genus). 

The site has produced extensive evidence that human ancestors were predated on by big cats. Fossilized charcoal found at the site is evidence of the earliest controlled use of fire by human ancestors discovered anywhere in the world, over a million years ago. SAHRA, in association with the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site Management Authority, have unveiled a plaque to mark this heritage site on Friday 12 April 2013.

Users on SAHRIS can view the site and related cases and permits by navigating to the declared site located at this link: http://www.sahra.org.za/content/922330012