A chronological framework for a long and persistent archaeological record: Melka Kunture, Ethiopia

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• 作者：Leah E. Morgan^a ; ¹ ; ^{leah.morgan@glasgow.ac.uk} ; Paul R. Renne^a ; ^b ; ^{prenne@bgc.org} ; Guy Kieffer^c ; ^{g.m.kieffer@wanadoo.fr} ; Marcello Piperno^d ; ^{m.piperno@tin.it} ; Rosalia Gallotti^e ; ^{rosalia.gallotti@pacea.u-bordeaux1.fr} ; Jean-Paul Raynal^e ; ^f ; ^{jp.raynal@pacea.u-bordeaux1.fr}
• 关键词：40Ar/39Ar geochronology ; Oldowan ; Acheulean ; Obsidian ; Upper Awash ; Ethiopia
• 刊名：Journal of Human Evolution
• 出版年：2012
• 出版时间：January 2012
• 年：2012
• 卷：62
• 期：1
• 页码：104-115
• 全文大小：1596 K

文摘

New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronological data for several volcanic ash horizons from Melka Kunture, Ethiopia, allow for significantly more precise age constraints to be placed upon the lithostratigraphy, archaeology and paleontology from this long record. Ashes from the Melka Kunture Formation at Gombore yielded the most reliable age constraints, from 1.393?¡À?0.162?Ma (millions of years ago) near the base of the section to 0.709?¡À?0.013?Ma near the top. Dating the Garba section proved more problematic, but the base of the section, which contains numerous Oldowan obsidian artifacts, may be >1.719?¡À?0.199?Ma, while the top is securely dated to 0.869?¡À?0.020?Ma. The large ignimbrite from the Kella Formation at Kella and Melka Garba is dated to 1.262?¡À?0.034?Ma and pre-dates Acheulean artifacts in the area. The Gombore II site, which has yielded two Homo skull fragments, ¡®twisted bifaces,?and a preserved butchery site, is now constrained between 0.875?¡À?0.010?Ma and 0.709?¡À?0.013?Ma. Additional ashes from these and other sites further constrain the timing of deposition throughout the section.

Integration with previously published magnetostratigraphy has allowed for the first time a relatively complete, reliable timeline for the deposition of sediments, environmental changes, archaeology, and paleontology at Melka Kunture.