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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.

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1427 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
OLD/1957/1091 BK II 8163 10 - BK R-MAX-f, M 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Fragment. Right maxilla with upper second molar and (1091) upper third molar. Specimen together with OLD/1957/1092 BK II. In BM loan collection. 2012/07/31 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/1957/1092 BK II 8162 10 - BK R-MAX-f, M 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Fragment. Right maxilla with upper second molar and (1092) upper third molar. Card in bag states "These teeth seem to be associated". In BM loan collection. Specimen together with OLD/1957/1091 BK II. 2012/07/31 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
MCK I or II? 8174 80 - MCK CUBNAV, PHX, MTT-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I or II? -- Fragments and complete foot bones (left),including navicular, pedal phalanges (proximal and intermediate), tarsals, including proximal half of third and fifth metatarsal. Only navicular is labeled (label is MCK I or II?). Bones may go with cards found in pile; may go with cards 067/5614, 5617-20, in which case the specimens would be Simopithecus oswaldi type specimens. 2012/07/31 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
MCK I? Simo 8175 80 - MCK CUBNAV, PHX, MTT-f, CUNE 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I -- Fragments of right foot bones including navicular, cuneiform, intermediate pedal phalanges and proximal half of fifth metatarsal. If specimen labeled (on navicular) is "MCK II"(as opposed to MCK I), specimen may belong with cards found in stack 067/5614, 0617-20 and if so this is a Simopithecus oswaldi type specimen. 2012/07/31 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
DK I/100/101 8084 24 - DK M-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 2 Strip I -- Fragments of two very worn molars. Cynocephalinae? Enclosed note with specimen states "OLD 63 DKI. Strip I L/2". 2012/07/26 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OH 6 3721 5 - FLK 283 - 45 CRA-f , M-f , L-P , L-TIB-f , L-FIB-f , 1959/60 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Middle (Zinj.) Surface. Cranial and dental fragments found in surface soil from slope immediately below Zinj. site; assumed to be from Zinj. level (Leakey, MD, 1971:227). TIB-f and FIB-f from Zinj. level. Davis, P. R. 1964. Hominid fossils from Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanganyika. A tibia and fibula. Nature. 201, 967. From Tobias (1991): OH 35 tibia and fibula attributed to same individual as OH 6 but appear to be more mature. It is unclear if OH 35 tibia and fibula are the same tibia and fibula originally listed under OH 6. Leakey, MD, 1971 describes CRA and dental fragments as having been found in surface soil, but Leakey, Tobias, and Napier, 1964 state "some [were] found in situ [and] some on the surface" (:9). Unworn lower L-P3. Partially developed roots of upper M1 or 2. Six cranial vault fragments. Tibia and fibula fragments first assumed to be associated with Zinjanthropus OH5, but should be considered associates with OH 6 following morphological study (Leakey, MD, 1971:227). and skull fragments. Juvenile. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype. TIB-f and FIB-f not given taxonomic designation in original publication (Davis, 1964) but named as a paratype in Leakey, Tobias, and Napier, 1964. No
M. 14508 183 HOR 1931 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Gentry (1966) suggests this specimen is "probably" from the surface. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella praecursor This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Antidorcas recki. No
OVPP-Tragelaphus 4 616 24 - DK MAX, MAN 104 - Unknown II lower Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Gentry and Gentry (1978) indicate more specimens have been found at this site. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Strepsicerotini Strepsiceros maryanus This specimen was reclassified as Tragelaphus strepsiceros maryanus by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
MNK II 1963.104 + 106 645 32 - MNK Main SKULL, SKEL-f 104 - Unknown II middle Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Gentry and Gentry (1978a) assigned this specimen to the species level (kob). They give the specimen numbers as follows: skull: 104, 106 mandibles: 107 (R), 108 (L) Maxilla: 103 (R) Altas: 110 Metacarpal: 105 (R) Ulna: 109 (R) Femur: 101 (R) Tibia: 102 (R) Metatarsal: 100 (R) 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Reduncinae Reduncini Kobus Gentry and Gentry (1978) assigned this to the species Kobus kob. No
OH 19 3734 29 - FC W 288 - 89 M-f 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Middle 15 feet above chert horizon Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Half of a very worn molar. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae No
OH 54 3769 72 - FLK Maiko Gully M-f 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Surface. -- Half of lower M1 or M2. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae No
OVPP-Struthio 8 10153 PVG-f , LUM 1931 114 - Natural History Museum UK I Lowe PR. 1933. On Some Struthious remains:1. Description of some pelvic remains of a large fossil ostrich, Struthio oldawayi, from the L. Pleistocene of Oldaway (Tanganyika Territory). 75(4): 652-8. HOLOTYPE. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Aves Struthioniformes Struthioni Struthionides Struthionidae Struthio Oldawayi No
OH 7 3722 6 - FLK NN 283 - 45 MAN , L-PAR , R-PAR-f , M , OCC-f , L/R-TEM-f , PHX , CAR 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 On surface of clay immediately overlying Tuff IB. Leakey, L.S.B., Tobias, P.V. & Napier, J.R. 1964. A new species of the genus Homo from Olduvai Gorge. Nature 202(4927): 7-9. Holotype. "Jonny's Child". Juvenile. Mandible with partial dentition and unerupted R/L-M3, almost complete left parietal and fragments of right parietal, left and right petrous portions (temporal) , "sundry small skull fragments ... [and] twenty-one bones of the hand, including the trapezium, scaphoid and a number of phalanges" (Leakey, MD, 1971:228). "One upper molar, a terminal phalanx, and a broken capitate bone, found on the surface, probably also belong to this individual" (:226). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Holotype 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
OLD 1963/179 BK II Step trench below tuff 8133 10 - BK HUM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Humerus shaft (Right?). Card states "small,straght, and slender". Pleistocene. 2012/07/27 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD 68/25658 BK II 8116 10 - BK HUM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Pit 6. -- Humerus shaft with part of distal end. Proximal articular end not preserved. 2012/07/27 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/63 1236 FLK II 8255 5 - FLK HUM 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Humerus. Specimen found in the same bag with "unlabeled specimen Old?" with card labeled "Parts of humerus FLK II 1236" in small box labeled "Parts of Simopithecus humerus FLK II 1236". Probably from same bone. 2012/08/07 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
FLK N I 7500 41 7 - FLK North TIB 104 - Unknown I upper Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Image available from plate 13 comparing this lagomorph's tibia to other modern and extinct lagomorph tibiae. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Lagomorpha Leporidae Lepus No
SC 1864/H38A 8078 22 - SC R-I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania "SC" (scree?) on North side, Tuff IID. -- In box with S1028/H38. Right maxillary I1. Note in box states "OH38 - L & R upper I1 - Theropithecus. (GS, REL, & ACW 1986). Found with the hominid OH38 left upper M2. SC on North side, Tuff IID." 2012/07/25 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Theropithecus No
SC 1028/H38 8077 22 - SC L-I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania "SC" (scree?) on North side, Tuff IID. -- In box with SC 1864/H38. Left maxillary I1. Label in box states "OH38 - L & R upper I1- Theropithecus. (GS, REL, ACW 1986). Found with the hominid OH38 left upper M2. SC on North side, Tuff IID". 2012/07/25 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Theropithecus No
OH 3 3719 10 - BK 280 - 94 d-C , L-d-M 1955 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Upper Upper part of BK channel which cuts into Tuff IID Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. In the first publication of these specimens (Leakey, LSB, 1958), Leakey described the teeth as a deciduous lower canine and a left deciduous upper M2. "This view was not shared by Robinson, von Koenigswald and others, who preferred to regard it as either a permanent or a deciduous upper molar of an australopithecine character" (Leakey, MD, 1970:226). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus Referred to as species boisei in Tobias (Olduvai Gorge volume IV, 1991). No
1257 8287 I-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Incisor fragment. Card in bag with specimen states "Old Bed III JK Primate? six teeth five non primate one hyaena (lower vert.?) 1254; RM3 colobine ED 81" Specimen found in bag with JK 1259 IV/I, JK 1254 71/I, JK 1258 III/2, 1256 and JK 1255 IV/3. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
2960 DK I WS 8127 87 - DK W I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Surface. -- Incisor. Card in bag states "?primate" and "067/2960." 2012/07/27 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
2154 8113 24 - DK I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 2 Strip III -- Incisor. Card in bag states "Field no. 067/2954,STRIP III, L/2, DK I, incisor".Pleistocene. 2012/07/27 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
JK 1259 IV/I 8284 40 - JK I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania VI 1 -- Incisor. Card in bag with specimen states "OLD Bed III, JK primate? six teeth, five non primate, one hyaena (lower vert.?) 1256, JK 1258 III/2, JK 1254 71/I and JK 1255 IV/3. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia No
JK 1258 III/2 8282 40 - JK I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III 2 -- Incisor. Card in bag with specimen states "OLD. Bed III, JK Primate? six teeth, five non -primate one hyaena (lower vert.?) 1254 : RM3 colobine ED 81" Specimen found in bag with JK 1254 71/I, 1257, JK 1259 VI/I, 1256 and JK 1255 VI /3. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
P DK 1573 8270 24 - DK L-I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Incisor. Card in bag with specimen states "PDK 1573 TR IV Primate ? Left+first incisor deciduous monkey Ed `81." 2012/08/10 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OH 52 3767 24 - DK L-CRA-f 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Lower Surface. -- Incomplete left temporal. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis No
OVPP-Hystrix 1 259 6 - FLK NN UK 104 - Unknown I middle 1 Leakey, LSB, 1951. Olduvai Gorge: a report on the evolution of the handaxe culture in Beds I-IV. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press. Information about the specimens preserved is not given. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Rodentia Hystricognatha Hystricognathi Hystricidae Hystricinae Hystrix galatea No
TP 685 FLK NN (Toe) 8241 6 - FLK NN PHX 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Intermediate and distal phalanges. Specimens not labeled. Found in box with label "TP 685 (TOE) FLK NN (TOE) intermediate. Surface or sieve". Card in bag with specimen states "685-distal phal. FLK NN toe Intermed. no no. See report." 2012/08/06 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
M. 21464 184 19 - SHK CRA, R-HOR, 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. It is also pictured in plate 5 C, D of Gentry (1966) where it is labeled as Phenacotragus recki. 137 - A. Gentry 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella This specimen was reclassified by Gentry and Gentry (1978) as Antidorcas recki. No
OH 14 3729 27 - MNK 287 - 88 "Skull Site" CRA-f , FRO-f , R-PAR-f 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Lower Middle B Surface. Inferred as same horizon as OH 13 (Leakey MD, 1971). Leakey, L.S.B., Tobias, P.V. & Napier, J.R. 1964. A new species of the genus Homo from Olduvai Gorge. Nature 202(4927): 7-9. Juvenile (sutures unfused). Thin skull. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 11 pieces found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Juvenile, parietal is thin. 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 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 58 3773 79 - JK Cliff P 1977 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I base of cliff Surface. -- lateral half unerupted premolar crown. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo sp. No
OLD 61/2955 DK I T.T. 8110 74 - DK E I 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I T.T.? -- Lateral incisor (I2). In bag with OLD 63/2969. Pleistocene. 2012/07/26 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
M. 14549 119 HOR-f 1932 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I, II, III Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Leakey (1965) indicated this specimen was found on the surface of Bed III, though the museum's label indicates Bed I and markings on the horn core indicate Bed II. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Strepsicerotini Strepsiceros grandis Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassified this specimen as Tragelaphus strepsiceros grandis. No
067/3979 DK IC 8223 24 - DK L-AST 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I C? Surface -- Left astragulus. Card in bag with specimen states "LOC: OLDUVAI, OLD `62". Pleistocene. 2012/08/03 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/63/3059 DK I L/2 KNM 2.023 8252 24 - DK L-CAL 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 2 -- Left calcaneus. Card in bag with specimen states "Loc: Olduvai Field No: Old/63 DK I 3059 Strip II L/2". Other card found in bag states "Cercopithecidae, Cynocephalinae left of small....". For more information see the card which has been photographed. 2012/08/07 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
067/56 16 MCK II 8148 80 - MCK L-CAL 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Left calcaneus. Type specimen. Specimen is in the same bag with 067/5610, 067/5611 and 067/5609. Card with specimen states "N609". 2012/07/30 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus oswaldi No