Cᵉ siècle av. J.-C.
East Rudolf, northern Kenya
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
The Koobi Fora Formation is a fossil-bearing geological sequence in the East Rudolf region of northern Kenya. It contains robust Australopithecine and large-brained Homo fossils, as well as archaeological occurrences associated with early hominid activity. The chronology of its lower member is linked to the KBS tuff, whose age was revised in the extract from approximately 2.6 million years to a possible 1.6–1.8 million years, affecting interpretations of the associated fossils and artefacts.
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Le récit
The East Rudolf sequence of the Koobi Fora Formation contains a rich record of early hominids. Robust Australopithecine fossils occur alongside large-brained Homo, including crania identified by the catalogue numbers KNM-ER 1470 and KNM-ER 1590. Another specimen, KNM-ER 1813, represents a more gracile and small-brained hominid that has been assigned variously to Australopithecus africanus and Homo habilis.
The formation also preserves evidence of early tool-making. The extract associates a hippopotamus carcass at Koobi Fora with the same basic Oldowan toolkit found at Olduvai, in circumstances interpreted as suggesting the use of implements for dismembering the animal. This evidence contributes to broader reconstructions of meat processing and hominid subsistence in East Africa.
Chronological interpretation depends heavily on the KBS tuff, which seals the Lower Member where the fossils first occur. It was originally assigned an age of approximately 2.6 million years, but later potassium-argon results suggested a younger age of 1.6–1.8 million years. The associated fauna appeared to favour the later date, making the chronology of the fossils and archaeological occurrences a central interpretive issue.
Cᵉ siècle av. J.-C.
East Rudolf, northern Kenya
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
The Koobi Fora Formation is a fossil-bearing geological sequence in the East Rudolf region of northern Kenya. It contains robust Australopithecine and large-brained Homo fossils, as well as archaeological occurrences associated with early hominid activity. The chronology of its lower member is linked to the KBS tuff, whose age was revised in the extract from approximately 2.6 million years to a possible 1.6–1.8 million years, affecting interpretations of the associated fossils and artefacts.
Poursuivre l’exploration
Le récit
The East Rudolf sequence of the Koobi Fora Formation contains a rich record of early hominids. Robust Australopithecine fossils occur alongside large-brained Homo, including crania identified by the catalogue numbers KNM-ER 1470 and KNM-ER 1590. Another specimen, KNM-ER 1813, represents a more gracile and small-brained hominid that has been assigned variously to Australopithecus africanus and Homo habilis.
The formation also preserves evidence of early tool-making. The extract associates a hippopotamus carcass at Koobi Fora with the same basic Oldowan toolkit found at Olduvai, in circumstances interpreted as suggesting the use of implements for dismembering the animal. This evidence contributes to broader reconstructions of meat processing and hominid subsistence in East Africa.
Chronological interpretation depends heavily on the KBS tuff, which seals the Lower Member where the fossils first occur. It was originally assigned an age of approximately 2.6 million years, but later potassium-argon results suggested a younger age of 1.6–1.8 million years. The associated fauna appeared to favour the later date, making the chronology of the fossils and archaeological occurrences a central interpretive issue.
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