A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF THE AGE OF THE GLADYSV ALE AUSTRALOPITHECINE SITE by Lee

Excavations conducted at the Gladysvale site in the Transvaal, South Africa during 1991 -1992 have revealed an abundant Plio-Pleistocene fossil fauna from the limeworks breccia dumps and in situ decalcified deposits. To date, over 600 specifically identifiable macro-mammalian specimens have been recovered including the remains of Australopithecus. These identifications have revealed that the Gladysvale site has an extremely diverse macro-mammalian faunal assemblage equal to many other South African Plio-Pleistocene fossil sites. Comparison of the Gladysvale macromammalian fauna with those of the other early hominid-associated sites in South Africa indicates an age for the deposit(s) at Gladysvale between 1.72.5 m.a .. ln addition, the Kromdraai A macromammalian assemblage is considered to be closer in age to the Gladysvale assemblage than any other South African faunal assemblage.