Lecture 5: Early Fossil Hominin Sites in Africa
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Questions and Answers

What is primarily responsible for the formation of dolinas in South Africa?

  • Erosion by glaciers
  • Chemical weathering of limestone or dolomite bedrock (correct)
  • Volcanic activity
  • Tectonic movements

How do small crevices in dolinas form?

  • From rapid erosion by rivers
  • Through mechanical erosion and chemical dissolution (correct)
  • By tectonic pressure
  • From the mixing of sediment and water

What happens to sediments in dolinas over time?

  • They remain unchanged for millennia
  • They are expelled through surface openings
  • They become compacted and form breccia (correct)
  • They are washed away completely

What has been discovered in some dolinas that indicates they were used by hominin groups?

<p>Stone tools (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following features is typical of dolinas?

<p>They slowly fill with sediments and organic materials. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which process makes extracting bones from dolinas challenging?

<p>The bones are cemented in breccia. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was significant about the rock quarrying activities at Sterkfontein?

<p>They led to the recovery of over 700 hominin bones. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How deep can dolinas in South Africa typically be?

<p>10 to 40 meters (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where have all early hominin fossils older than 2 million years been found?

<p>Africa (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which region in Africa has been noted for having the most successful fossil discoveries?

<p>East Africa and South Africa (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What unique feature of the Cradle of Humankind contributes to its significant fossil discoveries?

<p>It has vertically oriented caves called dolinas. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which year saw the discovery of the Malapa site in South Africa?

<p>2008 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a major reason for the success in finding fossil remains in South Africa?

<p>The area's unique geology that preserves fossils well. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the most famous fossil sites in South Africa where hominin remains have been found?

<p>Sterkfontein (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the area called the Cradle of Humankind?

<p>It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its fossil-bearing deposits. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which hominin remains were discovered in South Africa in 1925?

<p>Tong Child Cranium (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of geological feature in South Africa is mentioned as the location where fossils are found?

<p>Caves (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which species is mentioned as being related to the Tongue Child?

<p>Australopithecus (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the method used by researchers to remove fossils from breccia?

<p>Employing dental tools and tiny electric drills (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How long is the African Rift Valley described as being?

<p>6,000 kilometers (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which type of environment are fossils commonly found in East Africa?

<p>Ancient rivers and lakes (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What geological process is responsible for the formation of the African Rift Valley?

<p>Tectonic plate movement (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following early hominid species is noted as living along rivers and lakes?

<p>Akimbo (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How far back do the sediments in the African Rift Valley date?

<p>More than 20 million years (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant discovery did Mary Leakey make in 1978?

<p>Hominin footprints preserved in volcanic ash (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where were animal and hominin footprints preserved in mud found?

<p>Kubifora (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How old are the footprints found at Laetoli compared to those at Kubifora?

<p>More than 2 million years older (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the possible stone tools discovered in West Turkana?

<p>They may be the oldest artifacts ever found if verified (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of sediment is prevalent in the Afar Triangle?

<p>River delta deposits (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Approximately how many bones of early hominins have been recovered from Hadar?

<p>Thousands (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What geological feature is the Afar Depression a part of?

<p>Rift Valley (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What information does the Laetoli footprints provide about early hominins?

<p>Their foot morphology and walking gait (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant evidence has been found at Olduvai Gorge that indicates hominins lived there?

<p>Stone tools and butchered animal bones (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role did Lewis and Mary Leakey play in the research at Olduvai Gorge?

<p>They discovered many important fossils starting in 1959. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of ancient plant remains were identified at Olduvai Gorge?

<p>Phytoliths from palm and tropical plants (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What geographical characteristic does Olduvai Gorge have in relation to the Ngorongoro Crater?

<p>It is a side branch coming off the Rift Valley, just north of the crater. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

During what environmental conditions do current researchers typically find fossils at Olduvai Gorge?

<p>When erosion exposes ancient deposits (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following sites is NOT mentioned as a hominin site in East Africa?

<p>Kibera (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What natural feature covered the remains of hominids post-mortem?

<p>River or lake sediments (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the current environmental condition surrounding Olduvai Gorge compared to its past?

<p>It is currently dry with a lot of erosion. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the Katagona stone tools?

<p>They represent the beginning of human technological development. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary task of the crew once a hominid fossil is found?

<p>To figure out the geologic layer it came from. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge in recovering fossils according to the content?

<p>Most fossils are found incomplete and broken. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of screening sediments through fine mesh?

<p>To ensure that small bones and teeth are not overlooked. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What composition does the crew hunting for fossils generally include?

<p>Professors, students, and interested locals. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do fossil hunting areas change over years?

<p>The landscape is altered due to ongoing erosion. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do researchers attempt to do once they have gathered enough fossil fragments?

<p>They try to reconstruct the skeleton. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of tools were primarily found at Katagona?

<p>Simple early stone tools. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Early hominin fossils

The skeletal remains of our earliest human ancestors, older than 2 million years, found primarily in Africa.

East Africa and South Africa

The two main regions in Africa where most early hominin fossils have been discovered.

Dolinas

Vertically oriented caves, common in South Africa, where many hominin fossils have been found.

Cradle of Humankind

A UNESCO World Heritage Site in South Africa, renowned for its abundance of hominin fossils, including Sterkfontein, Kromdraai, and Swartkrans.

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Tong (or the Tong Child Cranium)

A famous hominin fossil discovered in 1925 at the site of Tong, providing insights into early human development.

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Malapa

A recent discovery in South Africa, dating back to 2 million years ago, providing valuable insights into early hominin evolution.

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Fossil preservation

The process by which fossils are protected and preserved over time, often influenced by geological factors.

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Fossil-rich areas

Regions with high concentrations of fossils, often due to favorable geological conditions and thriving populations.

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Dolinas Formation

Dolinas form in South Africa due to the slow dissolving of limestone or dolomite bedrock. These rocks are easily eroded by rain and water and contain calcium carbonate that reacts with slightly acidic rainwater, leading to their dissolution.

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Dolinas as Sediment Traps

Dolinas act as natural sediment traps, accumulating dirt, rocks, and even animal remains that fall or are washed in.

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Hominid Remains in Dolinas

Over time, bones of animals and hominids that fell into dolinas become incorporated into the deposits.

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Dolinas as Dens and Campsites

In South Africa, some dolinas were used as dens by hyenas and as campsites by hominin groups, providing shelter from the elements and predators.

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Breccia Formation

Water percolating through the sediment in dolinas cements it together with calcium carbonate, creating a new type of rock called breccia.

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Sterkfontein Site

Sterkfontein is a hominin fossil site in South Africa with several openings connecting underground. It has 20 meters of breccia deposits dating back to 3.5 million years ago.

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Significance of Sterkfontein Excavations

Since archaeological excavations began at Sterkfontein in 1936, scientists have recovered over 700 hominin bones and bone fragments.

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Cave of Swallows

Located in Mexico, the Cave of Swallows is an example of a massive dolina, reaching a depth of 350 meters.

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Breccia

A type of sedimentary rock formed from broken fragments of other rocks, often found with fossils in South African caves.

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Hominin

A group of primates that includes humans and their close extinct relatives, characterized by bipedal walking and larger brains.

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Fossil Excavation

The process of carefully removing fossilized remains from their geological context, using specialized tools to preserve the fragile bones.

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East African Rift Valley

A vast geological fault zone where two tectonic plates are pulling apart, creating valleys and exposing ancient deposits.

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Tectonic Plates

Large, moving slabs of the Earth's crust that interact to cause earthquakes, volcanoes, and the formation of mountains.

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Ancient Rivers and Lakes

Bodies of water that existed millions of years ago, often associated with the East African Rift Valley and rich in fossils.

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Early Hominid Habitats

Areas where early human ancestors lived, primarily along rivers and lakes, hunting and gathering for food.

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Geological Time

The vast expanse of time, measured in millions and billions of years, during which Earth's history unfolds and fossils are formed.

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Olduvai Gorge

A famous site in Tanzania, known for its ancient lakebed where hominin fossils, stone tools, and butchered animal bones have been found.

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Laetoli

A site in northern Tanzania, close to Olduvai Gorge, famous for its volcanic ash footprints.

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Phytoliths

Microscopic plant remains preserved in sediments, used to identify ancient environments and vegetation.

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What Olduvai Gorge was like 2 million years ago

Olduvai Gorge was a lake with a tropical environment, rich in palm trees and other vegetation.

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Erosion in East Africa

The process that exposes ancient deposits and the fossils they contain, making it easier to discover remains.

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Lewis and Mary Leakey

Pioneering paleoanthropologists who extensively studied Olduvai Gorge and made significant fossil discoveries.

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Hominin Bone Discoveries

Extensive research at sites like Olduvai Gorge has yielded numerous hominin skeletal remains and early stone tools.

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Katagona Stone Tools

The oldest stone tools found in the Afar Triangle, dating back 2.6 million years.

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Simple Technology

The earliest stone tools were basic but represented the start of a technology used throughout human history.

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Fossil Hunting Crew

A team of scientists, students, and local people searching for fossils in the Hadar region.

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Systematic Fossil Search

The process of systematically searching exposed sediments for fossils, taking advantage of erosion.

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Fossil Reconstruction

The process of piecing together fragmented fossils like a puzzle to understand an organism.

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Incomplete Fossils

Most fossils are found as incomplete fragments, making reconstruction essential for identification.

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Hominid Species Identification

Identifying a hominid species by analyzing the reconstructed skeletal remains.

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Laetoli Footprints

Footprints of early hominins preserved in volcanic ash, dating back 3.7 million years, found in Tanzania.

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Kubifora Footprints

Hominin footprints preserved in mud along an ancient riverbed in Kenya, dating back to 1.5 million years ago.

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West Turkana Fossils

River deposits in Kenya, dating back 4.5 million years, with fossils of five different hominid species.

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Afar Depression

A geological feature in Ethiopia, part of the Rift Valley, with ancient river delta deposits.

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Hadar Hominin Remains

Thousands of hominin bones found in Ethiopia, dating back 4.5 to 3 million years ago.

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Possible Stone Tools (West Turkana)

Evidence of stone tools found in West Turkana, Kenya, potentially dating back 3.3 million years ago.

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Early Hominin Footprints

Footprints of early human ancestors found at sites like Laetoli and Kubifora, providing insights into their locomotion.

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Fossil-Rich Sites

Areas like Laetoli, Kubifora, and Hadar, known for abundant hominin fossils, offering key insights into human evolution.

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Study Notes

Lecture 5: Early Fossil Hominin Sites in Africa

  • Hominins, our lineage, are a special branch of the ape lineage
  • All early hominin fossils older than 2 million years have been found in Africa

Key Regions for Hominin Fossils

  • East Africa
  • South Africa

South African Fossil Sites

  • Specific areas are rich in hominin skeletal remains
  • Likely due to higher populations or specific geological features promoting preservation
  • Focus on cave sites, specifically vertically oriented caves called dolinas
  • Dolinas form from the dissolving of limestone or dolomite bedrock
  • Rainwater acidity contributes to dissolution

Famous South African Sites

  • Tong Child Cranium (1925)
  • Sterkfontein, Kromdraai, Swartkrans (1930s-1940s)
  • Malapa (2008)
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site: Cradle of Humankind

Important Aspects of Cave Sites

  • Stone tools found associated with hominin fossils
  • Bones are often cemented/fossilized
  • Excavation is meticulous, involving the removal of breccia

East African Fossil Sites

  • Fossils found in deposits alongside ancient rivers and lakes within the East African Rift Valley
  • Rift Valley is characterized by geologic fault lines with significant sediment deposits
  • Famous sites include: Olduvai Gorge, Laetoli, Kubifora, West Turkana, Hadar, and Katagona

Specific Sites and Discoveries

  • Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania: Ancient lake, hominin and animal fossils; stone tools
  • Laetoli, Tanzania: 3.7 million-year-old hominin footprints
  • Kubifora and West Turkana, Kenya: Older fossils (4-1 million years)
  • Hadar, Ethiopia: Numerous hominin remains (4.5-3 million years); Stone tools
  • Katagona, Ethiopia: Stone tools

Fossil Excavation Techniques

  • Careful excavation to determine strata
  • Tools for removal and preservation
  • Careful screening of sediments for small fragments

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Lecture 5.1: Early Fossil Hominin Sites in Africa PDF

Description

Explore the significant early hominin fossil sites in Africa, focusing on East and South Africa. Learn about famous fossil discoveries, such as the Tong Child Cranium and the Cradle of Humankind, as well as the geological conditions that promote fossil preservation. This quiz delves into the importance of cave sites and the meticulous excavation processes involved.

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