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Mrs. Ples (born circa 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago) is the popular nickname for the most complete skull of an Australopithecus Africanus ever found in the world. Many fossils of this species, which are considered to be the distant relatives of all humankind, have been found in the Sterkfontein area, in what has been designated the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, which is situated approximately 70 kilometres southwest of Pretoria. Mrs. Ples was discovered by Dr. Robert Broom and John Robinson in April 1947.
The nickname Mrs. Ples was derived from the scientific designation initially given to the skull by Dr. Broom, Plesianthropus Transvaalensis (near-man from the Transvaal).
It should be noted that the sex of the skull is not completely certain and that Mrs. Ples may in fact be Mr. Ples. In addition, X-ray analysis of the roots of the teeth of Mrs. Ples has suggested that it was a sub-adult, so a designation of Miss Ples or Master Ples is also possible.
Some experts have suggested that a partial skeleton, known only by its catalogue number of "Sts 14", that was discovered in the same year, in the same geological deposit and in close proximity, may belong to this skull. If correct, this would make Mrs. Ples the South African counterpart to the famous fossil nicknamed "Lucy", which is from a closely related species, the Australopithecus Afarensis.
See also: Taung child
In 2004, she was voted 95th in the Top 100 Great South Africans (see List of South Africans).
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