title: Stratigraphic, chronological and behavioural contexts of Pleistocene Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia.
abstract: Clarifying the geographic, environmental and behavioural contexts in which the emergence of anatomically modern Homo sapiens occurred has proved difficult, particularly because Africa lacked adequate geochronological, palaeontological and archaeological evidence. The discovery of anatomically modern Homo sapiens fossils at Herto, Ethiopia, changes this. Here we report on stratigraphically associated Late Middle Pleistocene artefacts and fossils from fluvial and lake margin sandstones of the Upper Herto Member of the Bouri Formation, Middle Awash, Afar Rift, Ethiopia. The fossils and artefacts are dated between 160,000 and 154,000 years ago by precise age determinations using the 40Ar/39Ar method. The archaeological assemblages contain elements of both Acheulean and Middle Stone Age technocomplexes. Associated faunal remains indicate repeated, systematic butchery of hippopotamus carcasses. Contemporary adult and juvenile Homo sapiens fossil crania manifest bone modifications indicative of deliberate mortuary practices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, The University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: J Desmond
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Yonas
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beyene
authors.forename: Giday
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: WoldeGabriel
authors.forename: William K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Renne
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Defleur
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Suwa
authors.forename: Shigehiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: Jean-Renaud
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Boisserie
authors.forename: Berhane
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asfaw
authors.forename: Tim D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001106:Archaeology; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002648:Child; D004777:Environment; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000208:ethnology; D005580:Fossils; D005843:Geography; D049690:History, Ancient; D015186:Hominidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals; D009027:Mortuary Practice / Q000266:history; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013997:Time Factors