Ukwakheka Kwemigede e-Cradle of Humankind

Ubukhuphekhuphe Bomgede

©Roger de la Harpe
I-Cradle yonke ye-Humankind esifundeni igcwele iziphazamiso kanye nemigqa yamaphutha, futhi lokhu kwenza ukubunjwa kwama-caverns angaphansi komhlaba njengoba ithebula lamanzi elingaphansi komhlaba lichitha kancane kancane i-dolomite.
Lezi ziqhekeko nazo zivumela amanzi angaphezu komhlaba ukuba abe yi-percolate emhlabeni, adle kude ne-limestone futhi akhulise ama-cavern ngokudala imishini ehamba phambili. Izitshalo nazo 'ziphazamisa' amanzi ngokusebenzisa uhlelo ngokugxilisa izimpande zawo emadwaleni, zandisa izinga lokukhukhula futhi zenze ukuba amadwala aphezulu aqhubekele phezulu. Kuze kube yilolu suku, iqoqo le-White Stinkwood noma imithi yase-Wild Olive livame ukukhombisa ukuthi kukhona khona umnyango wesango noma umhume.
Uma enye yalezi shafts iphuka phezulu, inhlabathi kanye nezinhlayiya ziqala ukungena emhumeni, zakha ikhamera yethalus. Lezi zinyosi zingase zibe nezinhlobo zempahla: amatshe, amathambo, izinti njll Ngisho nezidalwa eziphilayo zingase ziwele emaphandleni futhi zibulawe noma ziboshwe, zengeze izinsalela zazo ku-cone. Lokhu kubalulekile ukuphawula ngoba akunakwenzeka ukuthi okhokho bethu be-hominid babehlala emaphandleni amaningi ajulile, lapho kwakumakhaza futhi kumnyama. Esikhundleni salokho, kungenzeka ukuthi bangena emaphandleni ngengozi, noma bahudulwa yizilwane ezidliwayo ezazifuna isidlo sokuthula, noma izinsalela zabo zagezwa emaphandleni ngamanzi.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amanzi aphezulu aqhubeka ewela emaphandleni, eqoqa i-calcium carbonate (i-lime) edwaleni le-dolomitic njengoba lihamba kancane emaphethelweni. Lokhu kumiswa kwamakhaksi emanzini bese kwehla emthonjeni oqoqwe emgodini, ubeke noma yikuphi udaba oluthile (njengamathambo) ngamaminerali futhi uqinise konke okuhlangene kube yinto enzima, ebalwa ngokuthi 'breccia'. Yilokho i-breccia evame ukuqukethe izinsalela zezilwane kanye nama-hominids futhi, ukuze kutholakale izinsalela, abavubukuli kufanele bahlukanise imfuyo ye-breccia-hhayi umsebenzi olula.
Kodwa ngisho nangabe nje emaphandleni akhiwa, azinjalo. Esikhundleni salokho, izinhlelo zokuguba zikhula njalo futhi ziwa phansi futhi ziguquke njengoba umhlaba uhamba futhi ithebula lamanzi likhuphuka futhi liwa. Amangeniso emasango avulwa futhi avalwe ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Futhi ngezinye izikhathi uphahla lomhume luwela phansi ngokuphelele futhi lubonisa i-breccia, okungenzeka ukuthi ihlanganiswe phezulu kanye nezimila.

Translated by Nsika Khoza