100th century BCE
Central Tanzania
Isimila is a Middle Pleistocene archaeological site complex in central Tanzania, formed in a local sediment trap created by obstructed drainage in a tributary valley. It contains extensive accumulations of artifacts and unexpectedly varied assemblages, including differences between occurrences at the same horizon. Formerly placed near 100,000 years ago, the complex may extend back to approximately 260,000 years, although the supporting thorium–uranium measurement is treated cautiously. Isimila contributed to early typological discussions of variation in material culture.
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The Story
At Isimila, central Tanzania, an impediment in the drainage of a small tributary valley created a local sediment trap. The accumulating strata are now being eroded and contain vast quantities of archaeological artifacts. This setting preserved a large body of material for examining Middle Pleistocene stone-tool variation, although bone is generally absent except in poorly exposed lowermost levels.
Isimila was formerly assigned to the very end of the Middle Pleistocene, around 100,000 years ago. A thorium–uranium determination raised the possibility that the site complex extends back to approximately 260,000 years. The extract cautions that geochemical determinations of this type cannot be treated as reliable dates, but emphasizes that the measurement demonstrates how uncertain the age of Isimila remains.
Fieldwork by Howell, Kleindienst and Cole in 1957 and 1958 was resumed by Keller and Hansen in 1970. As at Olorgesailie, the excavations revealed unexpected variety, with important differences even between occurrences at the same horizon. Comparative study helped Kleindienst formulate an influential typological classification and a broad statement of the problems involved in explaining variation among early material-culture samples.
100th century BCE
Central Tanzania
Isimila is a Middle Pleistocene archaeological site complex in central Tanzania, formed in a local sediment trap created by obstructed drainage in a tributary valley. It contains extensive accumulations of artifacts and unexpectedly varied assemblages, including differences between occurrences at the same horizon. Formerly placed near 100,000 years ago, the complex may extend back to approximately 260,000 years, although the supporting thorium–uranium measurement is treated cautiously. Isimila contributed to early typological discussions of variation in material culture.
Continue exploring
The Story
At Isimila, central Tanzania, an impediment in the drainage of a small tributary valley created a local sediment trap. The accumulating strata are now being eroded and contain vast quantities of archaeological artifacts. This setting preserved a large body of material for examining Middle Pleistocene stone-tool variation, although bone is generally absent except in poorly exposed lowermost levels.
Isimila was formerly assigned to the very end of the Middle Pleistocene, around 100,000 years ago. A thorium–uranium determination raised the possibility that the site complex extends back to approximately 260,000 years. The extract cautions that geochemical determinations of this type cannot be treated as reliable dates, but emphasizes that the measurement demonstrates how uncertain the age of Isimila remains.
Fieldwork by Howell, Kleindienst and Cole in 1957 and 1958 was resumed by Keller and Hansen in 1970. As at Olorgesailie, the excavations revealed unexpected variety, with important differences even between occurrences at the same horizon. Comparative study helped Kleindienst formulate an influential typological classification and a broad statement of the problems involved in explaining variation among early material-culture samples.
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