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寻找有前途的地点。调查方法是分层的，使用卫星图像、航空摄影和轻型飞机侦察来定位潜在的重要区域。然后将通过车辆和步行调查对这些区域进行更详细的探索，并获得有关地质、考古和古生物资源的数据。第一年的侦察发现了几个上新世-更新世时代的化石遗址。埃塞俄比亚是世界上研究人类起源最有前途的地区之一。迄今为止发现的少数埃塞俄比亚遗址在提供脊椎动物进化和人类起源的物质证据方面发挥了重要作用。尚待充分勘探的矿床包含记录中新世晚期的沉积物；其他尚未被发现的可能存在。各种各样的证据表明，人类最早出现在这段时间，但由于化石矿床的稀有，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将编制的地点清单外，它还将协助培训非洲科学家。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.