Tanzania
-- Archaeology
Olduvai
Gorge
is probably
one of the
most famous
archaeological
sites in
the world.
It lies
on the northern
tip of Lake
Eyasi in
Northern
Tanzania.
This early
stone age
site was
discovered
in 1911
by accident
by a German,
Professor
Kattwinkel.
While chasing
a rare butterfly,
he literally
fell into
the gorge
and found
fossilized
bones while
he was climbing
back up
the 300
foot cliff.
Preliminary
work before
World War
I was conducted
by the Germans
and Hans
Rech who
turned over
the project
to Louis
and Mary
Leakey.
The conditions
for the
preservation
of fossils
were very
good at
Olduvai
because
of ash from
nearby volcanoes
and the
rapid burial
of remains
due to changes
in the lake
bed. Up
to 1959
only part
of an upper
jaw with
two teeth
had been
discovered.
In July
of 1959,
Mary Leakey
found a
skull called
Zinjanthropus
boisei (latter
reclassified
Australopithecus
boisei),
dated at
1,750,000
years old.
This discovered
showed that
humans had
evolved
in Africa.
More advanced
hominids
ware also
found at
Olduvai
such as
homo habilis
and homo
erectus.
Other finds
included
tools, bones
and teeth
from a variety
of animals.
A year and
half later,
Louis Leakey
discovered
the remains
of a juvenile
who was
older than
Zinjanthropus.
Olduvai
Gorge is
now a UNESCO
World Heritage
Site and
is an important
tourist
stop.
At
Laetoli,
in the Southern
Serengeti
plains,
about 40
km from
Olduvai
Gorge, Mary
Leakey found
evidence,
in 1974-1975,
of hominids
even older
than those
found at
Olduvai
Gorge. These
were classified
as Australapithecus
afarensis.
One of the
discoveries
at this
site was
fossilized
footprints
dating back
3.5 million
years. These
footprints
are the
earliest
evidence
of bipedal
locomotion
in hominids.
In
1964, Kamaya
Kimeu discovered
a jaw with
all its
teeth of
Australapithecus
at Peninj,
another
site only
50 km form
Olduvai
Gorge. At
this site
120 artifacts
were also
found.
For
Further
Reading:
Allen,
James de
Vere. Swahili
Origins.
London,
1993.
Horton,
Mark. Shanga:
The Archeology
of a Muslim
Trading
Community
on the Coast
of East
of Africa.
London and
Nairobi,
1996.
Leakey,
Richard.
The Origin
of Mankind.
New York,
1996
