Addis Ababa, Dec. 13(ENA)--Mandibles of Australopithecus Afarensis with an estimated age of over 3 million years were uncovered in Hadar area of Afar State.

The remains of the hominid was excavated by Dr. Erella Hovers of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dr. William Kimbal of the Institute of Human Origins in Arizona State University in the 2002 field season of the Hadar archeological site.

Briefing about the discoveries here on Friday, Dr. Erella Hovers said the excavation includes an almost complete mandible of an adult and a partial mandible of an infant.

She said the findings allow the study and understanding of variation with in the species through geological time.

According to Dr. Erella, the result was among the very few fossil species for which such studies are feasible.

The archeologists also discovered stone hand tools that estimated to date over 2 million years and faunal remains with several thousand years.

The continued excavation at an area known as 894 showed that it is one of the richest archeological localities.

The Research project was undertaken by the Hadar Research Project and the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage.

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