Wonderwerk Cave

Description

The Wonderwerk Cave is a fascinating archaeological site situated on Wonderwerk Farm around 43km north of Daniëlskuil on the road to Kuruman in the Northern Cape. "Wonderwerk" (Afrikaans for miracle) is a National Heritage Site that has been used for human shelter as far back as two million years, making it one of the oldest and longest inhabited caves on earth.

In 2008, 2 million year-old stone tools were excavated at Wonderwerk Cave. These fascinating discoveries provide the earliest evidence of intentional human occupation. At 139m deep, the cave is so large it has been said that an ox-wagon could be turned in its entrance.

Other discoveries include well-preserved specimens of flora which show evidence of ice ages in the surrounding areas, as well as evidence of a wide variety of wildlife that lived in the area, much of which is now extinct. Interestingly, an array of tools from the early, middle and later Stone Ages have revealed that this cave was once one of the most technologically advanced places in the world at its time.

Other evidence includes finger paintings of animals such as eland and elephant on the cave walls that date as far back as 1500 years. All excavated material from Wonderwerk Cave is now housed at the McGregor Museum.

The Wonderwerk Cave is open to the public. Visitors are welcome to explore certain areas of the cave, but some areas remain restricted for ongoing research and conservation purposes. There is an information and exhibition centre, as well as wheelchair-friendly walkways.