Paleoanthropological Survey of Ethiopia's Rift System

蒂姆·怀特博士将与当地学者合作，对埃塞俄比亚裂谷地区进行一次大规模的实地调查。该项目的目标是为古人类学和古生物学研究找到有前景的地点。调查方法是分层的，利用卫星图像、航空摄影和轻型飞机侦察来确定潜在重要区域。然后将通过车辆和徒步调查更详细地探索这些资源，并产生关于地质、考古和古生物资源的数据。第一年的勘测发现了几个上更新世时期的化石遗址。埃塞俄比亚是世界上最有希望研究人类起源的地区之一。迄今为止，埃塞俄比亚发现的少量遗址有助于为脊椎动物的进化和人类起源提供物质证据。尚未充分勘探的沉积物中含有记录了中新世晚期的沉积物；其他尚未发现的沉积物可能存在。各种证据表明，人类最早出现在这段时间，但由于化石沉积的稀缺性，几乎没有发现任何遗骸。这项研究有望帮助填补这一空白。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。除了怀特博士和他的同事们将编制的遗址清单外，它还将帮助培训非洲科学家。它还应该有助于加强美国和埃塞俄比亚之间的古人类学联系，并帮助建立促进美国在该国工作的机制。

Working in collaboration with local scholars, Dr. Tim White will conduct a large-scale, on the ground survey of areas within the Rift Valley region of Ethiopia. The goal of the project is to locate promising sites for paleoanthropological and paleontological research. The survey approach is stratified, employing satellite imagery, aerial photography, and light aircraft reconnaissance to locate areas of potential significance. These will then be explored in more detail through vehicle and foot survey and yield data on geological, archaeological, and paleontological resources. A first year reconnaissance has revealed several fossiliferous sites of Plio- Pleistocene age. Ethiopia is one of the most promising areas in the world for research into human origins. The small number of Ethiopian sites discovered to date have been instrumental in providing material evidence for vertebrate evolution and human origins. Deposits yet to be adequately explored contain sediments which document the late Miocene period; others, yet undiscovered, likely exist. A variety of evidence suggests that humans first appeared during this interval yet, because of the rarity of fossil bearing deposits, almost no remains have been recovered. This research will, hopefully, help to fill this gap. This research is important for several reasons. In addition to the site inventory which Dr. White and his colleagues will produce, it will assist in the training of African scientists. It should also serve to strengthen paleoanthropological ties between the U.S. and Ethiopia and help establish mechanisms which will facilitate American work in this country.