562:
defleshing manipulation must have occurred after removal of the mandible. The intentional and deliberate removal of soft tissues such as basicranial vessels, nerves and muscles is therefore indicated. The specimen lacks the entire occipital region surrounding the foramen magnum, and the edges of this broken region are smooth and polished, as are the specimen’s unweathered parietal surfaces."
543:
As at Herto, Garba III includes terminal
Acheulean hand axes, typical Levalloisian method, and many retouched tools on flakes (side-scrapers and end-scrapers, backed knives, burins, unifacial and bifacial points). The Garba III assemblage has been considered transitional between the Acheulean and the
348:
of three-toed horse—that show butchery cut marks by hominins including those made in removing an animal's tongue. "These are the earliest documented percussion marks made by hominids , who were presumably processing these bones for contained fatty marrow"; and, "These are the earliest documented cut
324:
technology have been found. The excavators (de
Heinzelin, et al., 2002) report: "..our surveys and excavations have demonstrated that early hominids were actively using stone tools on the Pliocene-Hata landscape"; and: "It is not currently possible to positively identify the creators of the earliest
123:
The Bouri
Formation stretches down much of the length and breadth of the Bouri "peninsula", which projects across the dry bed of the Afar Depression. The Formation is sufficiently eroded to expose three geological members or layers: the Hatayae, the Dakanihylo, and the Herto. Human remains with signs
494:
deposits of variable thicknesses. It shows cross-bedded sedimentation containing pumice rocks and has produced all the human fossils and tools found in the Upper layer. The Upper layer is topped by a volcanic tuff. Two volcanic layers of very fine ash occur, one just below the hominin fossils and
441:
into separate species lineages is biologically misleading, artificially inflating early
Pleistocene species diversity." Further, they suggest that "..by 1 Myr the taxon had colonized much of the Old World without speciating. A finding of considerable biogeographic and behavioural significance".
349:
marks made by hominids ." As concluded by the excavators, the evidence from the site shows "..a major function of the earliest known tools was meat and marrow processing of large carcasses." This pattern of butchery processing of large prey was maintained by hominins well into the
Pliocene.
561:
removal. Clark, et al., (2003) reports that "The latter pattern of bone surface modification is almost never present in hominid or nonhuman faunal remains processed for consumption, and is therefore unlikely to represent evidence of utilitarian or economic behaviour." On one skull, "..this
621:
Clark JD, Beyene Y, WoldeGabriel G, Hart WK, Renne PR, Gilbert H, Defleur A, Suwa G, Katoh S, Ludwig KR, Boisserie JR, Asfaw B, White TD. (2003). Stratigraphic, chronological and behavioural contexts of
Pleistocene Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia. Nature. 423(6941):747-52.
499:
of adjacent sedimentary layers and their fossils, as reported above. This is valuable "..because the accurate dating of faunas and artefacts of many sites of this general antiquity in
Pleistocene Africa has proved notoriously difficult."
175:, called members, from which fossils and artifacts of different periods of human evolution have been excavated. They are: the lowest member, named Hatayae, or the Hata, dated to 2.5 million years ago (mya)—and in which fossils of
54:
548:
In this layer are found a large number of
Hippopotamus bones: "One occurrence shows abundant remains of several hippo calves, mostly newborn to a few weeks old, scattered together with butchered adults".
727:
DeHeinzelin J, Clark J D, Schick KD. Gilbert WH. (2000) The
Acheulean and the Plio-Pleistocene Deposits of the Middle Awash Valley, Ethiopia. Annales Sciences géologiques. 104: (whole issue).
313:. The likely explanation is the lack of raw materials on lake margins, which, in turn, is likely due to the lack of streams strong enough to carry hand-sized pebbles and the absence of nearby
450:
The Herto layers consist of a 15–20 m thick main sequence found in the southwestern part of the Bouri peninsula. The division between the Lower and Upper Herto layers is characterized by an
651:
de
Heinzelin J, Clark JD, White T, Hart W, Renne P, WoldeGabriel G, Beyene Y, Vrba E. (1999). Environment and behavior of 2.5-million-year-old Bouri hominids. Science. 284(5414):625-9.
711:
Asfaw B, Gilbert WH, Beyene Y, Hart WK, Renne PR, WoldeGabriel G, Vrba ES, White TD. (2002). Remains of Homo erectus from Bouri, Middle Awash, Ethiopia. Nature. 416(6878):317-20.
466:, veins of pink carbonate, and silty clays (of predominantly lake origin) containing gastropod and bivalve fossils; it is dated to 260 thousands of years ago (kya). Late
486:
and lake-margin deposits of the lower layer), and dates to between 160 and 154 kya. Immediately above the erosion surface separating the two layers is a sequence of
677:
Asfaw B, White T, Lovejoy O, Latimer B, Simpson S, Suwa G. (1999). Australopithecus garhi: a new species of early hominid from Ethiopia. Science. 284(5414):629-35.
470:
tools are found associated with hominin remains as yet unclassified. Humans in this habitat lived next to a freshwater lake and killed large mammals such as
587:
568:
study upon modern cultures suggests that such post-mortem manipulation could be due to "..curation of human remains as part of mortuary practices".
365:; it is situated in the southern half of the Bouri horst and dated to 1 mya. Fossils found in the layer suggest open grassland—some 377 species of
810:
386:
294:
145:
148:; and it contains the Bouri Formation. The peninsula is about 4 km wide by 10 km long, and lies in a NNW-SSE direction in the
770:
750:
765:
760:
171:
area some 80 m thick that stretches down much of the length and breath of the peninsula. The formation consists of three
775:
780:
790:
53:
17:
185:
were found; and the Herto member, Lower layer at 260 kya, and Upper layers at 160 to 154 kya—fossils of
299:
795:
755:
785:
306:
429:. Asfaw, et al. (2002) reports: 1) that these fossils do not support "..the hypothesis of a deep
496:
289:
221:
177:
89:
557:
Of 15 of the 24 recovered fragments of humans in the Upper Herto layer have cut marks due to
512:
805:
800:
582:
8:
532:
520:
508:
186:
389:
have also been found in the Daka member, as well as evidence of butchery processing on
369:(including three new species and two new genera); and water-margin habitats—species of
728:
712:
685:
659:
623:
213:
77:
678:
652:
504:
414:
410:
370:
201:
682:
656:
451:
297:. According to Asfaw and White, et al. (1999), that species is "..descended from
205:
172:
157:
137:
133:
117:
109:
62:
329:
is currently the only recognized hominid taxon recovered from Hata sediments."
426:
249:
113:
124:
of having been prepared for burial have been found in the Upper Herto layers.
92:, and bones of large mammals with cut marks from butchery with tools by early
744:
536:
362:
332:
Existence of stone tools is also evidenced by bones of large mammals—such as
161:
58:
716:
689:
663:
627:
565:
471:
430:
397:
374:
333:
320:
In spite of rarity, some isolated and widely scattered cores and flakes of
182:
97:
232:
The Hatayae layer is 40 m thick at its base and is composed of variegated
732:
577:
558:
516:
402:
277:
253:
141:
105:
47:
406:
310:
273:
245:
149:
421:) are important to the current debate as to whether Asian and African
467:
378:
341:
265:
257:
153:
43:
528:
487:
382:
269:
241:
237:
220:
layers that enable accurate dating of the sedimentary deposits via
197:
193:
168:
101:
93:
66:
35:
31:
204:. These habitats, laid down in sedimentary rocks, have since been
535:; these are comparable to those found in the Garba III layer at
483:
463:
321:
314:
261:
209:
200:
across the most recent few million years known informally as the
85:
357:
The Dakanihylo (Daka) layer is 22 to 45 m thick and composed of
181:
were found; the Dakanihylo, or Daka, member, one mya—fossils of
524:
491:
482:
The Upper Herto member changes to yellow sandstone (from the
358:
390:
366:
345:
337:
39:
76:
is a sequence of sedimentary deposits that is the source of
281:
233:
217:
81:
196:
in the Afar Depression created varying habitats for early
495:
one just above; this important feature allows accurate
588:
List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Ethiopia
523:
are rare. Most stone tools are made of fine-grained
437:..."; and 2) "..that geographic subdivision of early
287:
In the Hatayae member have been found the remains of
309:
in general have failed to disclose large numbers of
112:that has provided rich human fossil sites such as
742:
647:
645:
643:
641:
639:
637:
635:
303:and is a candidate ancestor for early Homo."
417:capacity of 995 cm. These fossils (of
632:
212:over time and their accessibility today to
27:Archeological area in Afar Region, Ethiopia
707:
705:
703:
701:
699:
697:
673:
671:
325:stone tools here or at Gona, even though
293:, the most complete specimen of which is
216:. Volcanic eruptions have left volcanic
57:Location of the Bouri Formation and the
52:
617:
615:
613:
611:
609:
607:
605:
603:
527:except for points and blades made from
14:
811:Archaeological sites of Eastern Africa
743:
694:
668:
132:The Bouri "peninsula" is a geological
552:
192:The area is important because active
144:, forming a partial dam and creating
600:
503:In this layer have been found early
280:channels and a shallow fluctuating
24:
25:
822:
771:Archaeological sites in Ethiopia
751:Geologic formations of Ethiopia
507:(MSA) tools and the remains of
721:
477:
457:
96:. It is located in the Middle
13:
1:
593:
454:filled with rounded pebbles.
401:fossils include the specimen
352:
766:Pleistocene Series of Africa
683:10.1126/science.284.5414.629
657:10.1126/science.284.5414.625
156:in the southern part of the
7:
571:
519:; but hand axes, picks and
10:
827:
761:Paleoanthropological sites
433:between African and Asian
300:Australopithecus afarensis
227:
127:
30:This article is about the
29:
531:. Many are made with the
393:, bovid and hippo bones.
284:dated to around 2.5 mya.
167:The Bouri Formation is a
776:Paleontology in Ethiopia
515:, cleavers, and various
511:. Most of the tools are
445:
425:were actually different
272:. It was deposited in a
108:, and is a part of the
546:
290:Australopithecus garhi
208:, which allowed their
178:Australopithecus garhi
69:
541:
56:
781:Sandstone formations
583:List of fossil sites
462:This layer presents
381:stone tools such as
336:(Wildebeest related
214:paleoanthropologists
791:Lacustrine deposits
533:Levallois technique
509:Homo sapiens idaltu
187:Homo sapiens idaltu
553:Mortuary practices
497:argon–argon dating
361:sandstone that is
222:Argon–argon dating
70:
140:that diverts the
78:australopithecine
38:remains. For the
16:(Redirected from
818:
796:Deltaic deposits
756:Middle Stone Age
735:
725:
719:
709:
692:
675:
666:
649:
630:
619:
505:Middle Stone Age
411:incomplete skull
202:Plio-Pleistocene
173:geological units
21:
826:
825:
821:
820:
819:
817:
816:
815:
786:Tuff formations
741:
740:
739:
738:
726:
722:
710:
695:
676:
669:
650:
633:
620:
601:
596:
574:
555:
480:
460:
452:erosion surface
448:
355:
230:
158:Afar Depression
130:
110:Afar Depression
74:Bouri Formation
63:Afar Depression
51:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
824:
814:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
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773:
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763:
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737:
736:
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693:
667:
631:
598:
597:
595:
592:
591:
590:
585:
580:
573:
570:
554:
551:
490:sandstone and
479:
476:
459:
456:
447:
444:
371:Kobus antelope
354:
351:
229:
226:
129:
126:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
823:
812:
809:
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792:
789:
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748:
746:
734:
730:
724:
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702:
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629:
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604:
599:
589:
586:
584:
581:
579:
576:
575:
569:
567:
563:
560:
550:
545:
540:
538:
537:Melka Kunture
534:
530:
526:
522:
518:
514:
510:
506:
501:
498:
493:
489:
485:
475:
473:
472:hippopotamids
469:
465:
455:
453:
443:
440:
436:
432:
428:
427:human species
424:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
399:
394:
392:
388:
384:
380:
376:
373:and abundant
372:
368:
364:
360:
350:
347:
344:, an extinct
343:
339:
335:
330:
328:
323:
318:
316:
312:
308:
304:
302:
301:
296:
295:BOU-VP-12/130
292:
291:
285:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
247:
243:
239:
235:
225:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
190:
188:
184:
180:
179:
174:
170:
165:
163:
162:Afar Triangle
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
125:
121:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
68:
64:
60:
59:Afar Triangle
55:
49:
45:
41:
37:
34:area rich in
33:
19:
723:
566:Ethnographic
564:
556:
547:
542:
517:lithic cores
502:
481:
461:
449:
438:
434:
431:cladogenesis
422:
418:
413:that had an
398:Homo erectus
396:
395:
375:Hippopotamus
363:cross-bedded
356:
334:alcelaphinae
331:
326:
319:
305:
298:
288:
286:
268:shells, and
231:
191:
189:were found.
183:Homo erectus
176:
166:
131:
122:
98:Awash Valley
73:
71:
806:Awash River
801:Afar Region
578:Omo remains
559:soft tissue
478:Upper Herto
458:Lower Herto
415:endocranial
403:BOU-VP-2/66
317:of basalt.
311:stone tools
307:Excavations
278:river delta
276:alongside
142:Awash River
106:East Africa
88:) fossils,
48:Bouri Field
18:Herto Bouri
745:Categories
594:References
439:H. erectus
435:H. erectus
423:H. erectus
419:H. erectus
407:Daka skull
353:Dakanihylo
274:floodplain
250:carbonates
246:bentonitic
150:Quaternary
146:Lake Yardi
84:(that is,
468:Acheulean
405:, or the
383:hand axes
379:Acheulean
342:Hipparion
266:gastropod
258:sandstone
254:pedogenic
252:that are
238:paleosols
236:clay and
194:tectonics
154:rift zone
136:-raised
90:artifacts
44:oil field
42:offshore
32:Ethiopian
733:46917504
717:11907576
690:10213683
664:10213682
628:12802333
572:See also
529:obsidian
513:scrapers
488:volcanic
387:cleavers
377:. Early
327:A. garhi
315:outcrops
270:mudstone
242:zeolitic
206:uplifted
198:hominins
169:sediment
152:-period
102:Ethiopia
94:hominins
67:Ethiopia
36:hominini
484:fluvial
464:lignite
262:bivalve
248:tuffs,
228:Hatayae
210:erosion
128:Geology
86:hominin
731:
715:
688:
662:
626:
525:basalt
521:blades
492:gravel
367:bovids
359:pumice
340:) and
338:bovids
322:Mode I
46:, see
40:Libyan
446:Herto
409:, an
391:equid
346:genus
260:with
138:horst
134:fault
118:Hadar
100:, in
80:and
729:OCLC
713:PMID
686:PMID
660:PMID
624:PMID
544:MSA.
385:and
282:lake
264:and
244:and
234:silt
218:tuff
116:and
114:Gona
82:Homo
72:The
679:doi
653:doi
164:).
65:),
747::
696:^
670:^
634:^
602:^
539:.
474:.
256:,
240:,
224:.
120:.
104:,
681::
655::
160:(
61:(
50:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
