Search the database

IMPORTANT NOTE: We have maintained the originally published taxonomic designation for each specimen despite the fact that many of these specimens have been reclassified since.  We chose to follow this protocol because of the difficulty in keeping up to date with all of the taxonomic groups, and our hesitancy to make a judgement call on taxonomic debates.  As such, please search the database with this in mind, perhaps using higher level taxonomic classifications for your query.

Search Results

7924 specimens found
Image Spec # CODI Database ID Arch. Locality Geo. Locality Elements Preserved Excavation Date Repository Bed Level Stratigraphic Horizon Bibliographic Information Curatorial Notes ID By ID Date Research Team In Situ Sediment or Matrix Adhering Class Order Suborder Infraorder Superfamily Family Subfamily Tribe Genus Species Subspecies Taxonomic Notes Taxonomic Problems
M. 26927 1087 R-HOR-f, FRO-f, CRA-f 1931 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Gentry, A. W., and Gentry, A. 1978. Fossil Bovidae (Mammalia) of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Part I. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Geology 29:289-446. 137 - A. Gentry No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Beatragus antiquus This specimen is "probably" B. antiquus. No
FLK N I 5123 1088 7 - FLK North L-HOR 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I Gentry, A. W., and Gentry, A. 1978. Fossil Bovidae (Mammalia) of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Part I. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Geology 29:289-446. Original information indicated that this specimen was located in Nairobi. This specimen is likely within the material that was repatriated to Dar in 2011, but this has yet to be confirmed. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Beatragus antiquus No
M 103994 12776 R-HOR-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK I-II -- OLD-649; "Olduvai I-II O-B '47" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Beatragus antiquus No
M 103991 12926 R-HOR 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-834; right horncore base Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Beatragus antiquus No
M 103992 12967 R-HOR-f 1931 114 - Natural History Museum UK I -- OLD-934 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Beatragus antiquus No
OVPP-Elephantulus 54 2900 7 - FLK North M 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 4 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1976. Elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae) from Olduvai and Makapansgat. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 4. pp. 1-56. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Macroscelididae Elephantulus antiquus No
M 103993 12325 L-HOR-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-753; left horncore distal end fragment Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Beatragus antiquus Yes
M 103990 11851 L-HOR-f 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-273 Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Ruminantia Bovoidea Macroscelididae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Beatragus antiquus Yes
S. 196 3116 24 - DK CRA-f, P, M, C 1969 104 - Unknown I Leakey, M., and Leakey, R. 1976. Further Cercopithecinae (Mammalia, Primates) from the Plio/Pleistocene of East Africa. Fossil vertebrates of Africa 4:121-146. This specimen is pictured in plate 1. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Papio ap. No
JK II A. 1129 1079 46 - JK 2 FRLT, R-HOR-f 104 - Unknown III Gentry, A. W., and Gentry, A. 1978. Fossil Bovidae (Mammalia) of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Part I. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Geology 29:289-446. This specimen is pictured in plate 31, figure 1. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Rabaticeras arambourgi No
B.E/S K 7-1 1080 46 - JK 2 L-HOR, CRA 104 - Unknown III Gentry, A. W., and Gentry, A. 1978. Fossil Bovidae (Mammalia) of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Part I. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Geology 29:289-446. This specimen is pictured in plate 31, figure 2. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Rabaticeras arambourgi No
A. 346 1081 L-HOR-f 104 - Unknown Gentry, A. W., and Gentry, A. 1978. Fossil Bovidae (Mammalia) of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Part I. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Geology 29:289-446. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Rabaticeras arambourgi The authors suggest this specimen "may" be R. arambourgi. No
PDK IV 1970.1498 1082 28 - PDK L-HOR, FRO-f 1970 104 - Unknown IV Gentry, A. W., and Gentry, A. 1978. Fossil Bovidae (Mammalia) of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Part I. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Geology 29:289-446. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Rabaticeras arambourgi The authors suggest this specimen is "probably" from R. arambourgi. No
F. 3665 P.P.T. 4 124 16 - LK CRA, L-HOR-f, R-HOR 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) IV Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Face and maxillae are missing. The holotype is pictured in plates 43 and 44. It was found on the surface between RK and LK. This eland is poorly represented at Olduvai. Original information indicated that this specimen was located in Nairobi. This specimen is likely within the material that was repatriated to Dar in 2011, but this has yet to be confirmed. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Taurotragini Taurotragus arkelli Holotype No
M. 14947 125 17 - PLK FRLT-f, L/R-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II upper Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Specimen is pictured in plate 46. According to the author, it is "in bad shape." Gentry and Gentry suggest this specimen probably came from the top of Bed 2 at PLK. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 1936 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Bularchus arok Holotype - Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassidfied this specimen as Pelorovis oldowayensis. No
M. 14948 126 CRA-f, L-HOR-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Bularchus arok Paratype - Gentry and Gentry (1978a) renamed this specimen as P. oldowayensis. No
OVPP-Bularchus 1 127 10 - BK SKULL, MAX, CRA, HOR 104 - Unknown II Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens including crania and post-cranial elements have been found in BK II. One example is pictured in plate 48. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Bularchus arok Gentry and Gentry (1978a) renamed this specimen as P. oldowayensis. No
OVPP-Bularchus 2 291 UK 104 - Unknown II, III, IV 130 - L.S.B. Leakey Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Bovini Bularchus arok This specimen was reclassified as Pelorovis oldowayensis by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
EF-HR 63/272 1352 31 - EF-HR R-MTT 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Churcher, C. S. 1982. Oldest ass recovered from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and the origin of asses. 148 - C. S. Churcher 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae Equinae Equini Equus asinus No
OVPP-Crocidura 5 3843 7 - FLK North FEM, MAN, (n=2) I 2 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. Authors do not specify if femur is associated with either of the mandibles. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Crocidura 6 3844 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=2) I 3 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. The following specimen is specifically mentioned by the author: Broken left mandible with complete posterior end and M1 and M2. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Crocidura 7 3845 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=3) I 123 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. The following specimen is specifically mentioned by the author: Fragment of right mandible some dentition. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Crocidura 8 3846 7 - FLK North MAN I 4 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Crocidura 9 3847 7 - FLK North MAN, (n=8) I 5 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. The following specimen is specifically mentioned by the author: Right mandibular ramus complete dentition, moderately worn. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Crocidura 10 3848 6 - FLK NN MAN I 1 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Crocidura 11 3849 6 - FLK NN MAN I 3 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Crocidura 12 3850 6 - FLK NN I 2/3 Butler, P., and Greenwood, M. 1979. Soricidae (Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 67:329-379. 150 - Butler and Greenwood Unknown Mammalia Insectivora Soricoidea Soricidae Crocidurinae Crocidura balsaci No
OVPP-Diceros 2 548 32 - MNK Main UK 104 - Unknown II middle Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae Rhinocerotinae Rhinocerotini Diceros bicornis No
OVPP-Diceros 3 549 10 - BK UK 104 - Unknown II upper Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae Rhinocerotinae Rhinocerotini Diceros bicornis No
OVPP-Diceros 1 97 UK 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II, III, IV Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The author does not give much information on elements preserved but indicates there are several specimens preserved in the BMNH. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae Rhinocerotinae Rhinocerotini Diceros bicornis No
OH 46 3761 6 - FLK NN TOOTH 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 Leakey, M.D. 1978. Olduvai fossil hominids:their stratigraphic positions and associations. In: Jolly, CJ, editor. Early hominids of Africa. London:Duckworth. P. 3-16. Broken crown of molar or premolar. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 60 3775 5 - FLK M 1982 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Surface. -- Large M3. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 64 3779 81 - HWK W TOOTH 1989 104 - Unknown II Lowermost 20 mm above Tuff IF in "basal waxy clay". Clarke, R.J. Published online 4 May 2012. A Homo habilis maxilla and other newly-discovered hominid fossils from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Olduvai Special issue, JHE Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 66 3781 7 - FLK North R-P 1998 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I Upper Surface. Tooth is lower P4. Specimen is pictured on the far right in image 1. Specimen is pictured in bottom left in image 2. No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 74 3789 72 - FLK Maiko Gully L-M 2007 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I ID above Surface. Left M2, unerupted. Specimen is pictured second from the bottom left in image 1. Specimen is shown on right in image 2. No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 80 3796 10 - BK R/L-P , L-M , R/L-I , L-HUM-f , R-RAD-f , R-FEM-f , TIB-f 2009 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II 4 Upper Domínguez-Rodrigo M, et al. 2013. First Partial Skeleton of a 1.34-Million-Year-Old Paranthropus boisei from Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. PLoS ONE 8(12): e80347. Distal portion of a left humerus diaphysis. Partial right radius with head, proximal metaphysis and partial diaphysis. Right partial femur, diaphysis in three refitting pieces. Tibia midshaft fragment assigned to OH 80 based on close "spatial association, comparable anatomical ruggedness and similar state of preservation to the other OH 80 postcranial fossils" (Dominiguez-Rodrigo et al., 2013). 292 - Proyecto Olduvai Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Australopithecus boisei Anatomically modern No
OH 5 3713 5 - FLK 283 - 45 CRA , MAX , M , I , C , P 17 July - 6 August 1959 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Middle (Zinj.) 22 feet below the upper limit of Bed I (Tuff IF), approximately 20 feet above basalt. Leakey, L. S. B. 1959. A new fossil skull from Olduvai. Nature 184:491-493. Holotype. Almost complete cranium. Adolescent. One reconstructed fossil found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. Additional pieces from NMK unpublished. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Zinjanthropus boisei Holotype. This specimen was reclassified as Paranthropus boisei by Robinson (1960). No
OH 26 3741 55 - FLK W R-M 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I/II See curatorial notes. Upper Surface, .6 m below Tuff If at top of Bed I. Tobias, PV. 1991. The Skulls, endocasts and teeth of Homo habilis. Cambridge: University Press. Large unworn right L. M3. "Direct evidence as to the original position of the tooth was ... not obtained but, on the basis of the adhering matrix, which is indistinguishable from the limestone nodules overlying Tuff IF, it can be assumed to have come from the base of Bed II..." (Tobias, 1991:848). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Found embedded in small nodule of calcareous concretion. Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 30 3745 72 - FLK Maiko Gully 283 - 45 TOOTH , d-TOOTH , CRA-f , 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Lower Surface "Parts deciduous and germ dentitions" (Leakey MD, 1971:234). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 38 3753 22 - SC R-M , I , I 1971 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Upper >IID Fluvo-lacustrine Leakey, M.D. 1978. Olduvai fossil hominids:their stratigraphic positions and associations. In: Jolly, CJ, editor. Early hominids of Africa. London:Duckworth. P. 3-16. Molar is right M2. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No