Archaeology
From WikiDemocracy
Australopithecus fossils found east of the Great Rift Valley
New fossils from Kenya suggest that an early hominid species— Australopithecus afarensis—lived far eastward beyond the Great Rift Valley and much farther than previously thought. An international team of paleontologists led by Emma Mbua of Mount Kenya University and Masato Nakatsukasa of Kyoto University report findings of fossilized teeth and forearm bone from an adult male and two infant A. afarensis from an exposure eroded by the Kantis River in Ongata-Rongai, a settlement in the outskirts of Nairobi.
The Rift Valley and the Archaeological Evidence of the First Humans
East Africa?s Rift Valley has proven a rich source of information about our distant ancestors. Fossil finds there, including the famous Lucy and Turkana Boy, have permanently altered our understanding of how modern humans evolved. Readers will learn about the other hominins?such as the species "Homo erectus" and the genus "Australopithecus"?who help fill out the human family tree. The engaging text explains how archaeologists? discoveries of bones, tools, early art, evidence of hearths, and other evidence has furthered our understanding of the origins of modern humans. A timeline helps readers understand the chronology of the topic.
Olduvai Gorge
The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge in Tanzania is one of the most important paleoanthropological localities in the world; the many sites exposed by the gorge have proven invaluable in furthering understanding of early human evolution. A steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley that stretches across East Africa, it is about 48 km (30 mi) long, and is located in the eastern Serengeti Plains within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the Olbalbal ward located in Ngorongoro District of Arusha Region, about 45 kilometres (28 miles) from Laetoli, another important archaeological locality of early human occupation.
Olorgesailie, Kenya
Early humans lived in the Olorgesailie region, in what is now the southern Kenya, between 1.2 million and 490,000 years ago. Excavations at Olorgesailie show the habitats and animals these early humans encountered, the handaxe tools they made, and the climate challenges they met.
=====Sedimentation and environmental dynamics of the Tunka rift valley (Baikal region) in the Late Pleistocene-Holocene based on the analysis of lithological and rock magnetic properties of the deposits from Upper Paleolithic sites Author links open overlay panel===== by Galina G. Matasova 6/21 ScienceDirect
The Tunka depression is a valley in the Baikal rift system. It contains several Paleolithic archaeological sites, however, the number of finds varies sharply across the different sections of the valley.
Great Rift Valley
Geologically, the Great Rift Valley formed due to the tectonic movement of African and Arabian plates, creating a unique environment that has undergone significant climatic fluctuations over millions of years. These climate changes have influenced human evolution by impacting resources and habitats, compelling early humans to adapt. Recent studies in the Jordan Rift Valley have revealed evidence of ancient tool-making societies and migration patterns that provide insight into human dispersal from Africa. Overall, the Great Rift Valley remains a vital site for ongoing research into human prehistory, evolution, and the historical interplay between climate and migration.
Kenya Archaeological Sites
Kenya is renowned for its sites depicting the life of early man, with many the sites showcasing the various stages of the development and evolution of early man. Although not as famous as the legendary Olduvai Gorge on the plains of Tanzania, the sites in Kenya are as dramatic as anywhere else in Africa.
Report on the 1973 Archaeological Survey of Central Ethiopian Rift Valley
Earliest human remains in eastern Africa dated to more than 230,000 years ago
by Sarah Collins UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
The age of the oldest fossils in eastern Africa widely recognised as representing our species, Homo sapiens, has long been uncertain. Now, dating of a massive volcanic eruption in Ethiopia reveals they are much older than previously thought.
The Leakey Family
by Louis Leakey The Leakey Foundation
Louis and Mary Leakey were monumental figures in the field of paleoanthropology and their groundbreaking discoveries helped shape our understanding of human origins. Now, the Leakey family is synonymous with the study of human evolution, with three generations making important contributions to science.
