Izicathulo zasendulo: Amathrekhi olwandle lwaseNingizimu Afrika anobufakazi
Okhokho bethu baqala nini futhi kuphi ukugqoka izicathulo zemfashini? Asikwazi ukubheka ebufakazini obuphathekayo bezicathulo ukuze sithole impendulo, njengoba izinto ezibolayo ezenziwe ngazo ngeke zisabonakala.
Ucwaningo lwamathrekhi ezinto ezimbiwa phansi kanye nemikhondo, ingasiza ekuphenduleni lo mbuzo ongaxazululiwe ngokuseshwa kobufakazi obucacile bezinyathelo ezenziwa abantu ababegqoke izicathulo – okungukuthi, ukugqoka uhlobo oluthile lokumboza unyawo.
Kodwa lokhu akuwona umzamo olula, njengoba ithimba lethu labacwaningi eliphuma kuphrojekthi yezobuchwepheshe yasogwini lwaseKapa eNingizimu Afrika lisanda kubika. Kule minyaka eyi-15 edlule sihlonze ama-vertebrate tracksite angaphezu kwama-350 ngasogwini lwaseKapa.
Lokhu kufaka phakathi inqwaba yamathrekhi enziwe abantu ababehamba ngokusobala noma begijima bengafake zicathulo, okufakazelwa yizimpawu zozwane.
Kodwa siphinde saqaphela izindlela ezifanayo, ezibonakala zilondolozwe kahle, ezingenazo izimpawu zozwane. Ngokuqaphela, futhi, ukuthi ucwaningo oluncane kakhulu olwenziwe mayelana nokuthi abantu baqala nini ukwenza izicathulo, sinqume ukuphenya okwengeziwe.
Ukwenza kanjalo, safunda ucwaningo olufanele oluvela ezingxenyeni ezihlukahlukene zomhlaba, sisebenzisa ulwazi lwethu mayelana nezigigaba ezibalulekile ekuthuthukisweni kobuchwepheshe bomuntu njengokuthi okhokho bethu babenobuchwepheshe nini futhi kuphi ubuchwepheshe bokwenza amathuluzi amathambo ayengase asetshenziswe ekuthungeni.
Siphinde sacubungula izindawo lapho kubikwe khona amathrekhi e-hominin asendulo. Lokhu kwembula ukuthi kunezindawo ezimbili eziyinhloko emhlabeni zokubheka ubufakazi bezinyawo zama-hominins asekuqaleni: entshonalanga yeYurophu kanye nogu lwaseKapa eNingizimu Afrika.
Salandela ngokwenza okwethu okuncane ukuze sakhe izinhlobo zezicathulo okungenzeka ukuthi bezigqokile. Ama-tracksite amaningi esiwatholile aphakathi kweminyaka engu-70,000 kanye neminyaka engu-150,000 ubudala, ngakho leso yisikhathi esigxile kuso.
Esikutholile, okusanda kushicilelwa kujenali i-Ichnos, kusikisela ukuthi okungenani kunezindawo ezintathu zokulandela umkhondo ogwini oluseningizimu yeKapa okungenzeka ukuthi zenziwa abantu abagqoke izicathulo (isizinda sesine ngeshwa sonakala ngokushesha futhi sawela olwandle).
Irekhodi lomhlaba wonke lamasayithi okuthiwa ama- trackmaker e-shod lincane. Kuze kube manje, yizindawo ezine kuphela ezindala kuneminyaka engu-30,000 eziye zathunyelwa, zonke zivela entshonalanga yeYurophu, kuhlanganise nesayithi laseNeanderthal.
Nakuba ubufakazi bungaphelele, siyajabula ngalokho esikutholile. Basekela umbono wokuthi i-Afrika eseningizimu iyisifunda esisodwa lapho
ikhono lomuntu lokucabanga nokwenziwayo lathuthuka kudala kakhulu.
Icashunwe kwiThe Conversation ibhalwe nguCharles Helm.
