Paleoanthropological and Geological Research at the Hadar Hominid Site, Ethiopia: 1995-96

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The Ethiopian site of Hadar is renowned for its rich yield of fossils, including numerous, well preserved remains of human ancestors - the Hominidae. Early work at Hadar added significantly to the understnding of human evolution in the middle Pliocene (ca. 3 - 4 million years ago) at a time when the hominid record older than 3 million years ago was a virtual void. The identification of the species Australopithecus afarensis relied heavily on the Hadar hominid sample, which by 1977 comprised nearly 250 specimens (including `Lucy`) and promoted refreshed debate on early hominid systematics and paleobiology. Since 1990 Hadar has been once again the focus of paleoanthropological and geological field research. Four seasons of fieldwork have resulted in further important hominid finds, including the first fairly complete adult skull of A. afarensis, in geological and climatic context. Now, fieldwork here is taking a trun toward the upper deposits in the Hadar Formation, those younger than 3 million years. This period saw the rise of the `robust` australopithecine line and the origin of our own. This new grant, for another two years of excavation, will focus on: 1) further investigation of the younger sediments in the Hadar Formation, and 2) new excavations at the still prolific `Lucy` locality.