Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

The Olduvai Gorge, also known as Oldupai Gorge, is a paleoanthropological site located in the eastern Serengeti Plain, near northern Tanzania, East Africa. The gorge is referred to as the “Cradle of Mankind” due to its status as the location where remains of the first human beings are thought to have been discovered. Recent findings in Ethiopia and South Africa, however, extend the timeline of the first people deeper into the past.

The Olduvai Gorge was formed through erosion over a period exceeding 2 million years. It is a steep ravine measuring 30 miles (48 km) in width, 295 feet (90 meters) in depth, and extending over 30 miles (48 km) in length. A lateral gorge converges with the primary gorge approximately 12 miles (19 km) downstream of Lake Masek and Lake Ndutu. The term Olduvai originates from the Maasai language, signifying “the location of the wild sisal.” Sisal is a prevalent shrub across the gorge.

In 1911, German physician and archaeologist Wilhelm Kattwinkel traveled to German East Africa with the intention of discovering relics. Kattwinkel discovered multiple fossilized bones of an extinct three-toed horse, prompting others to explore the region. In 1913, geologist Hans Reck directed a team that uncovered hominid bones in the gorge. The First World War interrupted excursions for several years; in 1931, Louis Leakey directed a team to the gorge. Leakey discovered multiple hand axes and revisited the gorge in 1935 accompanied by his wife, Mary, and geologist Percy Edward Kent.

The Leakeys persisted in visiting the location for several more years, even involving their son, Jonathan, in their endeavors. They discovered implements, fragments of animal bones, and human remains. In 1960, Jonathan made a notable discovery by unearthing a jawbone belonging to Homo habilis, an early human species that inhabited the canyon some 1.9 million years ago. In 1976, geologist Reck published The Geology of Olduvai Gorge, which provided a comprehensive overview of the five primary levels of the gorge, later reclassified into seven.

Bed I is the oldest and lowest layer in the sequence, consisting of 20-46 meters of basalt and claystone. This site contains the most ancient fossils, lithic implements, and human remains. Bed II is 21-35 meters of clay and sandstone, and a chert nodule quarry that yielded over 14,000 artifacts, including hand axes and early animal teeth. Bed III comprises 6-10 meters of sandstones and conglomerates exhibiting a pronounced red hue. Bed IV comprises 5-8 meters of clay, sandstone, and conglomerate deposits. The upper beds have been classed as the Masek, Ndutu, and Naisiu Beds, consisting of two occurrences of aeolian ash from the Kerimasi volcano.

The Olduvai Gorge Museum was initially inaugurated in the late 1970s by Mary Leakey and was succeeded by a new structure in 2018, coinciding with the establishment of the Olduvai Gorge Monument. The memorial, designed by artist Fest Kijo, has two substantial concrete skulls representing the initial two species discovered in the gorge. The museum has showcased objects and studies from the local area since its establishment. Antiquities guides provide daily lectures, and safaris are possible to observe the annual migrations of wildebeest, zebra, lion, elephant, and cheetah through the gorge. Additional fauna observed in the gorge include the giraffe, agama lizard, leopard tortoise, dik-dik antelope, and Grant’s gazelle.