The Official Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind

The Official Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind
Author: Brett Hilton-Barber
Publisher: Struik Publishers
Total Pages: 218
Release: 2002
Genre: Nature
ISBN:

Who were the original people that occupied South Africa, and how far back do we go to find out? Beneath the dolomitic outcrops and the grasslands of an area in the north east of South Africa known as the cradle of humankind, lies an extensive series of underground caverns that have preserved clues of our most ancient past. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1999 by UNESCO, the area embraces Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and environs. Research in the area has shaped much of our thinking about the development of Homo sapiens, and fossil finds have proved beyond doubt that humanity originated in Africa - and even suggest that the emergence of our own species may well have happened in South Africa.

Expeditionary Culture Field Guide

Expeditionary Culture Field Guide
Author: Defense Dept., Air Force, United States Air Force Culture and Language Center
Publisher: Government Printing Office
Total Pages: 96
Release: 2017-03-03
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780160936982

The Expeditionary Culture Field Guides (ECFGs) are pocket-size handbooks packed with invaluable cultural information. The guides are designed to help US forces achieve mission success in culturally complex environments. Each guide complements other training media, such as online training and hands-on instruction. Part 1 introduces "Culture General," the foundational knowledge you need to operate effectively in any global environment. Part 2 presents "Culture Specific" Chad, focusing on unique cultural features of Chadian society and is designed to complement other pre-deployment training. It applies culture-general concepts to help increase your knowledge of your assigned deployment location.

Cradle of Life

Cradle of Life
Author: Vincent Carruthers
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Total Pages: 419
Release: 2019-08-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1775845990

The Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site situated in the heart of the Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve is the jewel in South Africa’s evolutionary crown: an area ‘of outstanding universal value’, it has attracted world-wide interest and furnished key evidence about where, when and how we came to be. The greater Magaliesberg area is peppered with some 200 caves and has a unique geology, history and biodiversity. For decades now, specialists have been combing the area to uncover evidence of our heritage. In his spectacular new title, Vincent Carruthers guides readers along a timeline, from the birth of our planet through to developments of the twenty first century. Along the way he documents the formation of our landscapes and the emergence of life, the rise of hominins, the stone and iron ages, early settlement, migrations, wars and modern developments in the Magaliesberg – the entire evolution of life up to the present, as we know it. Vividly illustrated with photographs, maps and diagrams, Cradle of Life portrays the intrigue and importance of the site, taking readers on a magical journey of discovery. Sales points: Authoritative handling of a complex topic; lavishly illustrated with colourful photos and diagrams; chronological detailing of key events from the beginning of time up to the modern age; accessible and appealing to a wide range of users, from visitors to students, enthusiasts and academics

The Cradle of Humanity

The Cradle of Humanity
Author: Mark Maslin
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2017
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0198704526

One of the fundamental questions of our existence is why we are so smart. There are lots of drawbacks to having a large brain, including the huge food intake needed to keep the organ running, the frequency with which it goes wrong, and our very high infant and mother mortality rates compared with other mammals, due to the difficulty of giving birth to offspring with very large heads. So why did evolution favour the brainy ape? This question has been widely debated among biological anthropologists, and in recent years, Maslin and his colleagues have pioneered a new theory that might just be the answer. Looking back to a crucial period some 1.9 million years ago, when brain capacity increased by as much as 80%, The Cradle of Humanity explores the implications of two adaptive responses by our hominin ancestors to rapid climatic changes - big jaws, and big brains. Maslin argues that the impact of changing landscapes and fluctuating climates that led to the appearance of intermittent freshwater lakes in East Africa may have played a key role in human evolution. Alongside the physical evidence of fossils and tools, he considers social theories of why a large, complex brain would have provided a major advantage when trying to survive in the constantly changing East African landscape.

Saunders’ Field Guide to Gladioli of South Africa

Saunders’ Field Guide to Gladioli of South Africa
Author: Rod Saunders
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Total Pages: 984
Release: 2021-08-13
Genre:
ISBN: 1775847624

The genus Gladiolus has fascinated plant collectors, taxonomists and the general public for centuries. Known for their spectacular flowers, these highly adapted and specialised plants occur throughout Africa, Madagascar, Europe and the Middle East. South Africa is home to more than half of the world’s Gladiolus species and the Western Cape is the heart of species diversity. Saunders’ Field Guide to Gladioli of South Africa is the first of its kind to offer a complete photographic record of the 166 species that occur in the region. Posthumously completed, this book is the culmination of the Saunders’ long search to find and photograph every known species of Gladiolus in South Africa. It includes: An introduction comprising a brief history of gladioli, information about the morphology and taxonomy of the genus, and guidelines for use in the field. Detailed descriptions of the main floral parts of each species, along with information about ecology, pollinators, similar species and conservation status; field notes were written by Rachel Saunders. Over 1,000 exquisite photographs taken in situ detailing morphology and habitat. Up-to-date distribution maps indicating where species have been recorded. A glossary of terms with illustrations unpacking difficult terminology. A coveted record of the life’s work of a couple who contributed to botany and horticulture in South Africa; it will be treasured by anyone with an interest in these magnificent flowers. Sales points: Accessible coverage of all known gladioli in South Africa; identification at a glance; full-colour photographs of all species described; expert authors.

The Wildlife of Southern Africa

The Wildlife of Southern Africa
Author: Vincent Carruthers
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Total Pages: 1866
Release: 2017-02-06
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1775844641

A field guide to the wildlife of southern Africa, describing over 2,000 plants and animals, with accurate illustrations in full colour. This book has been a trusted fi eld companion for many years. Comprehensively updated, it now features range maps for most groups. The chapters are colour-coded for easy reference, and diagnostic features appear in bold type within the descriptions. Each chapter is written by a leading expert in the field. All the main plant and animal groups are covered: Lower invertebrates, Spiders and other arachnids, Insects, Freshwater fishes, Frogs, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Grasses, sedges, ferns and fungi, Wild flowers, Trees

The Bahurutshe

The Bahurutshe
Author: Heinrich Bammann
Publisher: LIT Verlag Münster
Total Pages: 250
Release: 2016
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 3643907478

The Bahurutshe explores the history, culture and religion of the Bahurutse in the North-West Province of South Africa. The historical dates, facts, and events of Batswana are informed by verbal tradition. This information attains greater transparancy when the chiefs admit European missionaries into their midst. In this book, Chief Moiloa II plays a prominent role by leading his migratory tribe to settle at Dinokana and including the missionaries in his tribe. The largest contribution towards this book was made by three missionaries from the Hermannsburg Mission Society, who submitted numerous reports to their superiors in Germany. The author, Heinrich Bammann, ministered a Lutheran congregation of the Bahurutshe for ten years. (Series: ?Sources and Contributions to the History of the Hermannsburg Mission and the Lutheran. Mission Work in Lower Saxony, Vol. 26) [Subject: Religious?History, African Studies

Winnie Mandela: A Life

Winnie Mandela: A Life
Author: Anné Mariè du Preez Bezdrob
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Total Pages: 435
Release: 2011-04-08
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1770201017

Few people have courted as much controversy or evoked such strong and divergent emotions as Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Adored by some, abhorred by others, she bears a name famous throughout the world, yet not many people know the woman behind the headlines, myths and controversies, or the details of the fascinating story that is her life. This intimate, in-depth and unbiased biography reveals the enigma that is Winnie Mandela, by exploring both her personal and political life. The reader is given a rare glimpse into Winnie’s strict yet happy rural upbringing, where the foundations were laid for her faith, compassion and indomitable resolve. As a young social worker in 1950s Johannesburg, her beauty, style and character captivated the political activist and Tembu prince, Nelson Mandela. Together, they personified the rising aspirations and political awakening of their people, and, in so doing, inspired a nation. Through her fierce determination and dauntless courage, she survived her husband’s imprisonment, continuous harassment by the security police, banishment to a small Free State town, betrayal by friends and allies, and more than a year in solitary confinement – all the while keeping the struggle flame alight and the name of Nelson Mandela alive. A sensitive and balanced portrayal, the book nevertheless thoroughly investigates and honestly examines the controversies that have dogged Winnie Mandela in recent years: the allegations of kidnapping and murder, her divorce from Mandela, and the charges of fraud. Winnie Mandela: A Life takes the reader on a remarkable journey of understanding, painting a rich, warm and vivid portrait of one of the world’s most charismatic, yet enigmatic, women.

The Matter of History

The Matter of History
Author: Timothy J. LeCain
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 367
Release: 2017-07-31
Genre: History
ISBN: 110829362X

New insights into the microbiome, epigenetics, and cognition are radically challenging our very idea of what it means to be 'human', while an explosion of neo-materialist thinking in the humanities has fostered a renewed appreciation of the formative powers of a dynamic material environment. The Matter of History brings these scientific and humanistic ideas together to develop a bold, new post-anthropocentric understanding of the past, one that reveals how powerful organisms and things help to create humans in all their dimensions, biological, social, and cultural. Timothy J. LeCain combines cutting-edge theory and detailed empirical analysis to explain the extraordinary late-nineteenth century convergence between the United States and Japan at the pivotal moment when both were emerging as global superpowers. Illustrating the power of a deeply material social and cultural history, The Matter of History argues that three powerful things - cattle, silkworms, and copper - helped to drive these previously diverse nations towards a global 'Great Convergence'.