Original Research - Special Collection: Celebrating Cultural Heritage within National Parks

Pleistocene ichnological geoheritage in national parks on the Cape coast

Charles W. Helm, Andrew S. Carr, Hayley C. Cawthra, Jan C. De Vynck, Martin G. Lockley, Mark G. Dixon, Renee Rust, Willo Stear, Guy H.H. Thesen, Ferdi van Berkel, Jan A. Venter
Koedoe | Vol 66, No 2 | a1786 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v66i2.1786 | © 2024 Charles W Helm, Andrew S Carr, Hayley C Cawthra, Jan C De Vynck, Martin G Lockley, Mark G Dixon, Renee Rust, Willo Stear, Guy H H Thesen, Fred Van Berkel, Jan A Venter | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 28 August 2023 | Published: 30 August 2024

About the author(s)

Charles W. Helm, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
Andrew S. Carr, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
Hayley C. Cawthra, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; and Minerals and Energy Unit, Council for Geoscience, Bellville, South Africa
Jan C. De Vynck, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; and Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Martin G. Lockley, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; and Dinosaur Trackers Research Group, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, United States
Mark G. Dixon, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
Renee Rust, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; and School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Willo Stear, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
Guy H.H. Thesen, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
Ferdi van Berkel, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
Jan A. Venter, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa; and Department of Conservation Management, Faculty of Science, Nelson Mandela University, George, South Africa

Abstract

Aeolianites and cemented beach deposits on South Africa’s Cape coast preserve evidence of events that transpired on them when they were composed of unconsolidated sand. Over the past decades, numerous Pleistocene vertebrate tracksites have been identified on aeolianite palaeosurfaces in the Garden Route National Park, West Coast National Park, and Addo Elephant National Park. In the Garden Route National Park alone, 57 Pleistocene vertebrate tracksites have been discovered. An equilibrium exists, whereby new sites become exposed through cliff-collapse events, while known sites slump into the ocean, are eroded through the action of wind and water, or are destroyed through wave action. Engraved graffiti poses a further threat. These sites complement the traditional body fossil record, and have significant palaeoenvironmental and palaeoanthropological implications. Hominin sites are of global importance: one contains the oldest tracks attributed to Homo sapiens, others contain patterns made in sand by ancestral humans and constitutes a form of early palaeoart. Collectively, these sites have substantial geoheritage value. The discoveries create management questions: which sites require active management, and how should they be ranked in importance? Factors which need to be considered in developing a management strategy include the scientific and heritage value of the sites, whether recovery or replication is preferable, the presence or absence of suitable repositories, the level of the threat to site integrity, the accessibility of the site, and the feasibility of recovery. Checklists containing appropriate criteria and questions can form tools in assessing the importance of these ichnosites.

Keywords

aeolianite; vertebrate tracksite; graffiti; hominin; palaeoenvironment; palaeoanthropology; ranking.

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 13: Climate action

Metrics

Total abstract views: 262
Total article views: 186


Crossref Citations

No related citations found.