Archaeology and ichnology at Gombore II-2, Melka Kunture, Ethiopia: everyday life of a mixed age hominin group 700,000 years ago

Altamura, Flavio, Bennett, Matthew R, D'Aout, K ORCID: 0000-0002-6043-7744, Gaudzinski-Windheuser, Sabine, Melis, Rita T, Reynolds, Sally C and Mussi, Margherita (2018) Archaeology and ichnology at Gombore II-2, Melka Kunture, Ethiopia: everyday life of a mixed age hominin group 700,000 years ago Scientific Reports, 8 (1). 2815-. ISSN 2045-2322, 2045-2322

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Abstract

We report the occurrence at 0.7 million years (Ma) of an ichnological assemblage at Gombore II-2, which is one of several archaeological sites at Melka Kunture in the upper Awash Valley of Ethiopia, 2000 m asl. Adults and children potentially as young as 12 months old left tracks in a silty substrate on the shore of a body of water where ungulates, as well as other mammals and birds, congregated. Furthermore, the same layers contain a rich archaeological and palaeontological record, confirming that knapping was taking place in situ and that stone tools were used for butchering hippo carcasses at the site. The site gives direct information on hominin landscape use at 0.7 Ma and may provide fresh perspective on the childhood of our ancestors.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Archaeology, Social anthropology
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	12 Feb 2018 11:01
Last Modified:	01 Mar 2026 07:59
DOI:	10.1038/s41598-018-21158-7
Open Access URL:	http://rdcu.be/GLNh
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3018009
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