New excavations at the FLK Zinjanthropus site and its surrounding landscape and their behavioral implications

Renewed excavations at FLK Zinj and its surrounding landscape have yielded valuable information regarding its paleoecological situation and the prehistoric behavioral function of the site. The density of materials at the main cluster of the site excavated by Leakey contrasts with the bone and lithic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Quaternary research 2010-11, Vol.74 (3), p.315-332
Main Authors: Domínguez-Rodrigo, M., Bunn, H.T., Mabulla, A.Z.P., Ashley, G.M., Diez-Martin, F., Barboni, D., Prendergast, M.E., Yravedra, J., Barba, R., Sánchez, A., Baquedano, E., Pickering, T.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Appeals
Archaeology and Prehistory
Bones
Clusters
Density
Earth Sciences
Environmental Sciences
Excavation
Global Changes
Humanities and Social Sciences
Landscape archaeology
Landscapes
Measuring instruments
Meters
Olduvai Gorge
Palaeoecology
Paleontology
Position (location)
Sciences of the Universe
Site formation
Special Issue Articles
Taphonomy
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Summary:Renewed excavations at FLK Zinj and its surrounding landscape have yielded valuable information regarding its paleoecological situation and the prehistoric behavioral function of the site. The density of materials at the main cluster of the site excavated by Leakey contrasts with the bone and lithic scatters surrounding the site. The location of FLK Zinj, situated a few hundred meters away from a freshwater spring, would have enabled hominins access to water, plants and game. The appeal of the spot for hominins (also explained by the presence of a wooded habitat) is confirmed by inferences of its redundant use prior and during the formation of the FLK Zinj paleosol, as witnessed by materials accumulated both under and on the waxy clay deposit that constitutes the FLK Zinj stratum. The single-cluster nature of the site indicates central-place behavior and evidence is provided that hominins occupied the site at a time of very low predation hazards in the area.
ISSN:0033-5894
1096-0287
DOI:10.1016/j.yqres.2010.07.003