The Cradle of Mankind

Olduvai Gorge is a ravine in the eastern part of the Serengeti plains. What makes it so special though, is its rich yield of fossil remains from some of the earliest signs of mankind.

Some 30,000 years ago, splitting of the earth’s surface by violent geological activity and millennial of erosion by seasonally flowing streams incised the nearly 250 foot (90m) canyon known as Olduvai Gorge. This has led to nearly a century of finds that have, in part, led scientists to believe that from Africa, humans spread out to populate the rest of earth.

The finds include footprints of three hominins (early human ancestors), miraculously preserved in muddy ash deposited by volcanic eruptions and hardened by the sun some 3.6 million years ago. The first skull of Zinjanthropus, commonly known as ‘Nutcracker Man’ who lived about 1.75 millions years ago, was found here as well as early stone tools found in 1.6-1.8 million year old deposits.

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