OLDUPAI GORGE

The Olduvai (formerly spelled Oldupai) gorge is world famous as an archaeological site and anyone with interest in mankind`s ancestors will be fascinated by the history of this extraordinary place.
The George and its surrounding are also extremely interesting from a wildlife perspective as the dry scrubby habitat supports many distinctive plants and animals not present elsewhere in the Serengeti during the wet season, the Oldupai stream many flows briefly through the George, but for most of the year it is a dry canyon distinguished by easily identifiable strata of volcanic deposit. When the stream does flow, it drain east off the Serengeti plains into Olbalbal depression where it forms a swamp.

The archaeological history of Oldupai could fill many volumes, and space limitations prevent any detailed discussion here. The on-site museum presents an overview of important fossil find, and several of the publication listed at the back of this guide gives more detailed information.

About two million years ago, the volcano olmoti erupted and covered the Oldupai area with lava. An alkaline lake later formed and as it contracted and expanded so its clay bed was layered with volcanic ash from subsequent volcanic eruptions. The alternately wet and dry lake bed provided ideal condition for the trapping and preservation of bones which would later be discovered as fossils. About 1.5 million years ago, subsidence caused by faulting tilted the landscape and like Oldupai drained away, to alter the habitat and the variety of species present. A series of other ash deposits over the centuries added to the cake-layering of the landscape, sandwiching the remains of life forms present at the time.

Most famous of the Oldupai fossil find is the 1.7 million year old hominid Australopithecus Boise in 1959. The similarly aged Homo habilis and H. which was present from about one million years ago, is believed to be the closest ancestor of modern man  ( homo sapiens)