The history of Olduvai Gorge, an archaeological site in Tanzania, includes the following key events:
Discovery
In 1911, German archaeologist Wilhelm Kattwinkel discovered the fossil-rich site and named it Olduvai, which is the Maasai word for the sisal plant.
Hominin remains
In 1913, geologist Hans Reck led a team to the gorge and discovered hominin remains.
Leakey discoveries
In the late 1930s, Mary and Louis Leakey found stone tools in the gorge. In 1959, Mary Leakey discovered a skull fragment that her husband named Zinjanthropus boisei, which was later reclassified as Paranthropus boisei.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
In 1979, Olduvai Gorge was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here are some other facts about Olduvai Gorge:
The gorge is located in the Great Rift Valley, between the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park.
It’s nicknamed the “Cradle of Mankind” because it’s believed to be the site of the first humans on Earth.
The gorge is about 30 miles long and 295 feet deep.
The deposits in the gorge cover a time span from about 2,100,000 to 15,000 years ago.
The gorge’s seven major stratigraphic units, or formations, include Bed I, Bed II, Bed III, Bed IV, the Masek Beds, the Ndutu Beds, and the Naisiusiu Beds.
The Olduvai Gorge, which is a remarkable archaeological site in East Africa and perhaps in the world. It was officially recognized as a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Exposed within the sides of the gorge is a remarkably rich chronicle of human ancestry and the evolution of the Serengeti ecosystem.