U-Pb dating Gondolin

Out of the Paranthropus bearing cave sites in the Cradle, Gondolin and Kromdraai stand out as they are the only two sites not dated with U-Pb. We are applying for a permit to collect flowstone samples at Gondolin to change this and provide the first, direct U-Pb chronology for this site. This will contribute to the chronology of Paranthropus in South Africa. As a precursor to this dating work, we will review the geology and stratigraphy of the site, as there needs to be a clear link made between the dated flowstones and the fossil bearing deposits. We will not be excavating any fossils or digging at all at the site – the geological work will be carried out on the already exposed sections.