Paleoanthropological research continues at Konso, southern Ethiopia

WIC Oct 21, 2000

   This summer, the Konso-Gardula joint Ethio-Japanese research team was back to Konso to undertake further field research in the two to one million year old fossiliferous sediments located 100 km south of Arba Minch. These sites are known from discoveries of two hominid species, Homo erectus and Australopithecus boisei, as well as from its excellent assemblages of early Acheulean stone tools (large cutting tools).

   The early stone age technology known from the Konso research area is one of the earliest and most abundant examples of this kind, and is characterized by handaxes and picks thought to be used by the species Homo erectus, in a variety of activities such as defleshing animal carcasses and digging for underground food resources such as tubers. Finely made handaxes with sturdy and straight edges are known widely in Africa and Eurasia from sites younger than one million years ago. Little is known, however, of when and how the Acheulean technology emerged and subsequently developed. Knowledge regarding the tempo and mode of evolution of Homo erectus and its contemporary animals are also limited.

   This summer, the research team focussed in refining the biostratigraphic and geochronological understanding of the 1.5 to 1.8 million year interval of the Konso series, and in gathering further data on the Acheulean technology at Konso. The collected field data, together with further laboratory analyses, is expected to provide an accurate calibration of the emergence and development of the Acheulean technology. During this summer's field work, the research team also recovered additional remains of both Homo erectus and Australopithecus boisei. They recorded the exact location of all hominid and archeological sites by means of the newly available differential global positioning system (DGPS).

   The Konso-Gardula paleoanthropological research area was first discovered in 1991 during systematic survey undertaken by the Paleoanthropological Inventory of Ethiopia. A joint Ethio-Japanese research team, co-directed by Yonas Beyene (C.R.C.C.H., Ethiopia Ministry of Information and Culture) and Gen Suwa (The University of Tokyo) was then established and commenced field research in 1993. Since then, paleontological surveys, systematic fossil collection, and archeological excavations and field analysis have been undertaken annually. Throughout the project, with cooperation from the regional government, particular care has been taken to ensure that all specimens were recovered and recorded directly by the scientific staff, so that contextual information vital to the research would not be jeopardized.