Vertebrate Taphonomy and Paleoecology of Lake-Margin Wetlands during Oldowan Times at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Brunswick NJ

Investigators

Abstract

Under the direction of Dr. Robert Blumenschine, Mr. Jackson Njau will collect data for his doctoral dissertation. The goal of his research is to understand how early humans behaved and utilized the environment ca. 1.7 million years ago. For many years a multidisciplinary team jointly headed by Dr. Blumenschine has examined a single stratum representing a ca. 50,000 year interval at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. The deposit contains early hominid stone tools as well as hominid and other faunal remains. It also offers a wealth of paleo-environmental data in the form of preserved animal tracks, fossil plant remains and geological and geochemical information. On this basis the team is working to reconstruct a detailed and accurate picture of the landscape and then to superimpose hominid-related remains on it. In this way one can gain insight into early human behavioral adaptations. Based on multiple lines of evidence the group knows that a significant portion of the region consisted of river and lake margin as well as other types of wetlands. However it lacks the ability to distinguish accurately among these. Mr. Njau will conduct a multipronged investigation to provide the necessary refinement. He will study a number of modern analog environments which range from alkaline lakeshore to spring fed marshes and in particular note the kinds of faunal assemblages associated with each. Since hippopotomi and crocodiles both modify such landscapes and predate on a wide range of species, they can leave a major mark. Mr. Njau will focus on both species and will conduct feeding experiments in which farm raised crocodile are provided with prey remains;their imprint on discarded bones noted. Mr. Njau will also examine prior excavated faunal assemblages from Olduvai to search for matches between experimental and observed patterns. This research is important for several reasons. It will provide a framework for an improved understanding of hominid behavior at one of the most important prehistoric sites in Africa. It will also yield modern analog data which are directly relevant to a wide range of paleoecological and archaeological questions. The award also provides a promising young scientist.