2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Paleoenvironments and human evolution in eastern Africa, with emphasis in research at Konso, Ethiopia
| Project/Area Number |
14255009
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 海外学術 |
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| Research Field |
人類学(含生理人類学)
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
SUWA Gen The University of Tokyo, The University Museum, Associate Professor, 総合研究博物館, 助教授 (50206596)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KATOH Shigehiro Hyogo Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Department of Earth Sciences, Curator, 地球科学部, 研究員 (50301809)
SAEGUSA Haruo Himeji Institute of Technology, Institute of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Assistant Professor, 自然環境科学研究所, 助手 (70254456)
NAKAYA Hideo Kagawa University, Faculty of Engineering, Professor, 工学部, 教授 (20180424)
HYODO Masayuki Kobe University, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Professor, 内海域機能教育センター, 教授 (60183919)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2002 – 2003
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| Keywords | Ethiopia / human evolution / mammalian evolution / paleoenvironment / isotope analysis / paleomagnetism |
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| Research Abstract |
The present project focussed on research at Konso, Ethiopia, in conducting research on diverse aspects of human evolution and paleoenvironments. We continued field work at the Konso sites, and determined the in situ position of the oldest Acheulean assembage at Konso. We analyzed further chronological data, and the world's oldest Acheulean assembage was determined to date at 1.7 Ma. This demonstrates that the emergence of Homo erectus and Acheulean assemblages were close in timing. We revised and refined the chronostratigraphy of the 1.45 to 1.7 Ma levels at Konso, by means of detailed paleomagnetic sampling and analysis. Unique events/excursions in the 1.5 to 1.6 Ma levels were documented, these paleomagnetic results important in both intra-Konso correlation and in interepreting the global magentostratigraphic record. We further investigated the systematics and paleoenvironmental indications of Equidae, Bovidae, Suidae, Proboscidea, and Aves. Together with excavation and analysis of the Bouri Elephas material, an Eurasian link between 1.5 and 1.0 Ma was suggested. By means of isotopic analysis, we tested our hypotheses of Konso paleoenvironments hitherto based on sedimentology and taxonomic compositions. Results of palosol and ungulate enamel C and O isotopes broadly support previous hypotheses, and enable further interpretations and discussion.
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