Ledi-Geraru
Research Project, Afar Regional State, Ethiopia
The
time period between 3.5 and 2.5 Ma (million years ago) is one of important
diversification events in hominin evolution. It is hypothesized that
global climatic events during this time effected pan-African habitat
change and spurred turnover in hominin species as
well as other mammals. The relationship of hominid activity and distribution
to environment must be understood to address this hypothesis. A field
expedition to the Middle Ledi research area was undertaken in 2002
with Dr. Charles Lockwood, Dr.
Ramon Arrowsmith and others to identify fossiliferous exposures
and evaluate the promise of the area in addressing this relationship
and elaborating on regional paleoenvironmental models.
The
fossil exposures are found directly east and somewhat north of the
Hadar
site, and also near the Gona and Dikika research areas. Over 900 fossils
were recovered, including two Australopithecus specimens dated
to approximately 3.0 Ma. Continuous exposures from 3.4 to 2.95 Ma
were documented and provide a thicker section than the corresponding
time period at Hadar.
At
this research site, we have the potential to differentiate between
spatial and chronological changes in mammalian species diversity,
and determine how closely faunal variation corresponds to environmental
variation. This will in turn provide additional information on environments
occupied by early hominins, and help test hypothetical links between
environmental stimuli and important events in hominin evolution.
Grotte
de Contrebandiers (Smuggler's Cave), Morocco
This
site was originally excavated nearly 50 years ago and is considered
on of the the most important Homo sapiens sites in Morocco.
The site contains a long sequence of both Middle and Upper Paleolithic
(~120,000 to 10,000 years ago) materials, and has also yielded what
are considered modern human remains dating to the earlier occupations.
The
earliest sequesnce of the cave contained Neolithic material which
overlaid Ibermaurusian remains and material culture. Beneath the Iberomaurusian
levels at Contrebandier there are Aterian tanged points, many other
lithics, and an abundance of fauna. Many of the similarly dated cave
sites from Western Europe possess only Neandertal remains and material
culture from this time period. Thus we are interested in the differences
between various human species and the nature of their behavioral adaptations
during the early Upper Pleistocene. Similarly,
the succession of industries at the site suggests that it may contain
evidence bearing on the transition to the Upper Paleolithic, which
is considered to represent the first fully modern cultural behavior.
New
excavations at this site began in the summer of 2007 and we are able
to make comparisons to sites of similar age in France, Egypt, and
southern Africa from the same time periods in subsistence strategies,
tool use, and paleoenvironments. Together these areas will provide
new information on the evolution and adaptation of modern humans.
This
project is headed by Utsav Schurmans and Harold Dibble. The faunal
team, which includes those who are interested in the taxonomy, taphonomy,
zooarchaeology, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction, includes: Fehti
Amani, Denné Reed, Jamie Hodgkins, and Amy Rector.
as
well as other mammals. The relationship of hominid activity and distribution
to environment must be understood to address this hypothesis. A field
expedition to the Middle Ledi research area was undertaken in 2002
with Dr. Charles Lockwood, 
Hadar
site, and also near the Gona and Dikika research areas. Over 900 fossils
were recovered, including two Australopithecus specimens dated
to approximately 3.0 Ma. Continuous exposures from 3.4 to 2.95 Ma
were documented and provide a thicker section than the corresponding
time period at Hadar. 
At
this research site, we have the potential to differentiate between
spatial and chronological changes in mammalian species diversity,
and determine how closely faunal variation corresponds to environmental
variation. This will in turn provide additional information on environments
occupied by early hominins, and help test hypothetical links between
environmental stimuli and important events in hominin evolution.
New
excavations at this site began in the summer of 2007 and we are able
to make comparisons to sites of similar age in France, Egypt, and
southern Africa from the same time periods in subsistence strategies,
tool use, and paleoenvironments. Together these areas will provide
new information on the evolution and adaptation of modern humans.