Palaeo-Research Institute
Palaeo Research
Palaeosciences, a discipline of many sub-fields that examine to understanding the evolution of human beings, Homo sapiens, their extinct relatives and their environment.
Drimolen, Makondo
A palaeontological site located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site popularly known as the Cradle of Humankind, dating to approximately 2.61 Ma. The site captures the Pliocene to Pleistocene transition in South Africa. The site has been actively excavated since the 1990s and has produced a diverse record of Paranthropus robustus, early Homo, recently Homo erectus, early Pleistocene bone tools and a myriad of animal fauna such as the first postcranial remains of the hunting hyaenid (Chasmaporthetes ?nitidula) from the region.
About Us
The P-RI is a palaeosciences research and training institute based at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Our Vision is to become a pan-African hub for research and teaching excellence in the palaeo-sciences, grounded in a service-orientated philosophy.
Our Mission is to develop a socially responsive environment that is integrated amongst cogent disciplines, providing a holistic, yet detailed, understanding of the last 4 million years of human evolution on the southern African landscape. Our motto “to function as a compound hafting adhesive” (i.e., to be more effective through the bonding of diverse ingredients) embodies the essence of who we are, namely, individuals from different backgrounds, with variable, but complementary sets of expertise, operating in a multi-disciplinary environment to create a formidable, excellence-driven palaeo-research instrument
What do we offer?
The Palaeo-Research Institute @ UJ is a multi-disciplinary, inter-faculty group with an extensive international training and research collaborative network. We represent a holistic approach to human evolution in sub-Saharan Africa covering the past 4 million years.
In addition to our extensive research portfolio, we offer palaeo-sciences undergraduate teaching through the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Geology well as Postgraduate degrees in various topics in Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology. For more info on studying at the P-RI please click on the following link Study Archaeology and Palaeoanthropology at UJ .
How to reach us
For more information about the UJ Palaeo-Research Institute and how to
get involved or support projects please contact:
The Director: Dr Dipuo Winnie Kgotleng
Email: dkgotleng@uj.ac.za
Tel: 011 559 1938
Administrator: Ms Mandeline Skietekat
Email: mandelines@uj.ac.za
Tel: 011 559 1744
Or find us on the following social media platforms:
Facebook: UJ-Palaeo-Institute
Twitter: @UJPalaeo