What is Olduvai Gorge?
The Olduvai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley that stretches through eastern Africa. It is about 48km long.
Where is it located?
It is located in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania and located 45 km from the Laetoli archaeological site.
Why is it important?
The area of Olduvai Gorge is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world for research and understanding of the early human evolution.
Hominid fossils(preserved bones) and stone tools found in the Olduvai Gorge. They have been found to cover an astonishing time span of as early as 2 million years ago up to the relatively recent 15,000 years ago. This is the longest lineage of human evolution found anywhere on earth. Due to this reason sometimes this important prehistorical site is called "The Cradle of Mankind".
Important discoveries in Olduvai Gorge
1911 - Professor Wilhelm Kattwinke, a German professor and naturalist found some fossils while collecting butterflies in Olduvai Gorge.
1931 to 1951 - Found animal fossils and stone tools
1976 - Mary Leakey discovered the Laetoli Footprint
1959 July 17th - Discovered 1.8 million year old skeleton of Australopithecus boisei by Leakey . This robust skull was named as Zinjanthropus boisei, which means Boise's man from East Africa. Zinj is the Arabic name for East Africa and Charles Boise was the man who sponsored the expedition.
How does the name come?
The name is a misspelling of Oldupai Gorge.
Oldupai is the Maasai word for the wild sisal plant Sansevieriaehrenbergii, which grows in the gorge.
Wold Heritage
Olduvai Gorge has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1979.
References
Book :
Tourist Travel & Field Guide to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
