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

978 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-538 12705 12 - CK C 114 - Natural History Museum UK IV S -- OLD-538; CK IV S Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae No
OLD-1417 13136 22 - SC CAL 114 - Natural History Museum UK II S -- OLD-1417; "OLDY SC II S 9.V. 35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Bovidae No
OLD-1419 13137 27 - MNK CAL 114 - Natural History Museum UK II or IV S -- OLD-1419; "OLDOWAY MNK S IV OR II" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Bovidae No
OLD-1423 13138 5 - FLK CAL 114 - Natural History Museum UK II S -- OLD-1423; "OLDY FLK II S 2.VII.35" Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Bovidae No
OLD-1894 13220 CAR or TAR 114 - Natural History Museum UK II S -- OLD-1894; podial; "OLDY KC IIS 7.5.35" Unknown Mammalia No
OVPP-Clarias 28 2780 5 - FLK NRCR-f, PCG-f, VER-f, R/L-ARTC, L-DNTY, URHL, R/L-PAL, R/L-SPINE 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. MNI=7. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
G. 309 2786 5 - FLK NRCR-f, ETHM, SOCC 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. At least 7 individuals are represented. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias No
OVPP-Clarias 29 2787 5 - FLK NRCR, R-DNTY, R-PTER 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias The authors don;t explicitly state that these specimens are of the genus Clarias, but mention it is similar to C. mossambicus. No
OVPP-Clarias 30 2788 5 - FLK FRO, SOCC, SPHT, R-PTRC, L-ETHM 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. It is unclear how many individuals are represented by these specimens. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Unknown Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Zinjanthropus 10 3920 5 - FLK CRA-f I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Leakey, LSB. 1960. Recent discoveries at Olduvai Gorge. Nature 188:1050-1052. Author describes specimen as "parts of the skull of a second individual," in reference to the first Z. boisei skull found at this site OH 5. 157 - L. Hlusko 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-Muridae 1 35 5 - FLK P, M, I, C, MAN, MAX 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several unidentified murids 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
G. 356 102 5 - FLK MAN, L/R-P, L/R-M, L/R-C, L/R-I 1960 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plate 23. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Suini Promesochoerus mukiri 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
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
068/6514 3711 34 - MLK CRA, MAX-f, R/L-P, R/L-M 104 - Unknown II middle Leakey, M. G., and Leakey, R. E. F. 1973. Pleistocene Colobinae from East Africa. Leakey, L. S. B., Savage, R. J. G., Coryndon, S. C., eds. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 3. London: Academic Pr This specimen is pictured in plate 3. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Colobinae Colobini Cercopithecoides kimeui Holotype No
OVPP-192 7870 MTC 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/06 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-210 7888 CRA-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Right parietal? 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/06 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-226 7904 R-C 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Maxillary right canine. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/06 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OVPP-244 7922 C 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Very worn canine. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/08 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OVPP-253 7931 C 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Maxillary Canine. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/08 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
COP-12-48 9633 CAL 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Middle Below Tuff 1E. -- 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/21 254 - COP Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-411 9782 SCP-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle 3 meters above Tuff 1F. -- 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/25 253 - OVPP No Aves No
OVPP-422 9793 CRA, HOR-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle 5 meters above Tuff 1F on top of aug. sandstone. -- Cranium with associated horn core. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/25 253 - OVPP No Y Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-494 9870 HOR, CRA-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Middle -- Partial cranium with two horn cores. Pieces A-K. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/27 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-Muridae 2 37 6 - FLK NN P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I middle 1 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 No Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
OVPP-Muridae 3 38 6 - FLK NN P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I middle 2, 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens of unidentified murids. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae No
263/1959 42 6 - FLK NN L/R-MAN, L/R-P, L/R-M, L/R-I, L/R-C 1959 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I middle Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. 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 Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Hyaenidae Hyaeninae Crocuta ultra No
OVPP-Herpestinae 4 81 6 - FLK NN R-MAN, R-d-P, R-C 104 - Unknown I middle 1 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 Yes Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae No
FLK NN I 701 103 6 - FLK NN C 104 - Unknown I middle 2 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plate 24 next to modern Phacochoerus specimens. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Suini Promesochoerus mukiri Paratype No
FLK NN I 177/1960 107 6 - FLK NN CRA, MAX, P, M, C 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I middle 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen is pictured in plate 28. This skull is "very crushed."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 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Suoidea Suidae Suinae Suini Potamochoerus intermedius Holotype No
OVPP-Tragelaphus 2 122 6 - FLK NN CRA, HOR 1960 104 - Unknown I middle 1, 2, 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Other specimens are present (Leakey, 1971) but are not described. The cranium and horn cones were found near the base of Bed 2. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Strepsicerotini Strepsiceros maryanus Gentry and Gentry (1978) reclassified this specimen as Tragelaphus strepsiceros maryanus. No
FLK NN I 608 212 6 - FLK NN MAN, CRA, HOR, MAX 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I middle 1, 2, 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. This specimen was badly cracked and weathered prior to fossilization. Other specimens are found here as well. 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 Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini This specimen was reclassified as Hippotragus gigas by Gentry and Gentry (1978). No
OVPP-Papio 2 245 6 - FLK NN CRA, MAX 1962 104 - Unknown I middle 2, 3 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Skull is severely crushed. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Papio indet. No
FLK II 1961.068/6663 833 5 - FLK L-HOR, CRA-f 1961 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II middle 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. The specimen is pictured in plate 10, figure 2. The other specimen pictured is DK I 067/5496. 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 "limestone with with sand-size volcanic detritus" Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Hippotraginae Hippotragini Hippotragus gigas No
FLK N I 1961.7154 893 7 - FLK North CRA, R/L-HOR, R/L-M, R-P 104 - Unknown II middle 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 15. 137 - A. Gentry Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Connochaetes sp. No
HWK EE II 1965.068/5975 1018 37 - HWK EE CRA-f, R/L-HOR 1965 104 - Unknown II middle found 3.7 meters above the Sandy Conglomerate 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 26, figures 1, 2. 131 - A. Remane Yes "pyroxene-rich volcanic sandstone" Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius sp. No
FC West 1963.201 1264 29 - FC W R-HOR-f, CRA-f 1963 104 - Unknown II middle 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 Yes Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Antilopinae Antilopini Gazella sp. No
OH 2 3718 27 - MNK 279 - 88 CRA-f 1935 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) III/IV Lowest horizon of Bed IVa. Surface. Found at head of MNK Gully where Beds II and IV are exposed. Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Two cranial vault fragments. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. Not found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus Similar to OH 9 and OH 12. No
COP-12-8 9593 L-FEM-f, SCP-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Lowermost -- Proximal left femur missing greater trochanter with distal condyle fragment and two scapular fragments. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/21 254 - COP Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OAS 125 10148 14 - HWK E L-COR-f 1989-2008 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lowermost Prassack KA. 2014. Landscape distribution and ecology of Plio-Pleistocene avifaunal communities from Lowermost Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution. 70:1-15. Specimen is labeled C in image: dorsal view of proximal left coracoid. "These fossils are currently being utilized in the publication of the author’s dissertation research wherein they have been given OAS (Olduvai Avian Specimen) numbers. Once the dissertation is completed, they will be returned to the OLAPP laboratory in Arusha, Tanzania, where they will be assigned OLAPP sequence numbers (Prassack, 2014)." 257 - OLAPP Yes Aves Anseriformes Anatidae Sarkidiornis cf. melanotos No