Olduvai Found Gorge Million Early

“Few places that I know have the same impact; for me, this area within its vastness represents the most special destination. I reach for words: spectacular, thrilling, awesome, beautiful, extraordinary” - Richard Leakey

Located in the eastern Plains of the Serengeti National Park, northern Tanzania, the Olduvai Gorge is a deep ravine running an impressive 48km in length and 295 feet (90 metres) deep. The gorge was formed by the same tectonic upheavals that shaped the Great African Rift Valley. Here at Olduvai - over 5 million years ago - these have produced a stunning landscape of red rock, cut and plain.

The cradle of mankind - The beauty of the site is further intensified by its archaeological significance. It is here that remains of early man and beast dating back over two million years have been found - giving the Gorge its well-earned nickname as 'the cradle of mankind.' Objects found here include the remains of over 150 different species of long-extinct mammals, including pre-historic elephants, enormous ostriches, giant horned sheep as well as the fossils of numerous birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Determined not to be outdone, early man has also left an amazing array of personal belongings and body parts around the Olduvai. Evidence of some of the oldest stone tool technologies - handaxes and cleavers - as well as rough shelter and butchery sites have been found across these sites.

The Leakeys and Nutcracker man - Though important archaeological finds had already been made here in 1911, it was the famous husband and wife digging-duo, the Leakey's and their son Richard, who from the 1930's to late 1960's, were responsible for the Olduvai Gorge's most dramatic discoveries. These included the skull of Louis Leakey's 'Nutcracker Man' (so called because of his giant molars - four times bigger than our own) that dated back to the lower Pleistocene Age, some 1.7 million years ago and Mary Leakey's excavations of the 3.5 million year old animal and early hominid footprints at Laetoli,(casts of which can be seen at the visitor centre today) just south of the Olduvai Gorge.

A new species of man - The difference in bone density, cranium capacity and tooth shape of the various remains found at the Olduvai sites, led the Leakeys to conclude that they had discovered a whole new species of early man. Furthermore, Louis Leakey suggested that human evolution had begun in Africa (instead of Asia as was thought), pushed back dates for the existence of various other species as well as suggesting that different lines of hominid families had evolved in parallel. These theories went against much of accepted evolutionary thinking of the time and Leakey was heavily criticised for his cowboy approach and radical claims. It was not until the late 1970's that the Leakey's 'Homo Habilis' took his rightful place at the root of our family tree.

Today - the Olduvai Gorge makes for a stunning visit and there is a small museum packed with information about the archaeological treasures found here.

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