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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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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-154 12445 CUNE 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-154 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
OLD-155 12446 CUBNAV 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-155 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae maybe Equid Unknown
OLD-168 12458 13 - RK CAR 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-168; lunar bone; "RK S" Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
OLD-17 12461 CAL 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-17 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
OLD-171 12462 CUNE 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-171 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
OLD-18 12470 CAL 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-18 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
OLD-19 12482 CAL 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-19 Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
OLD-65 12777 OCC 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-65; magnum Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Ceratomorpha Tapiromorpha Rhinocerotoidea Rhinocerotidae No
OVPP-Otomys 4 3858 6 - FLK NN CRA-f, M, (n=3) I 3 Denys, C. 1989. Phylogenetic affinities of the oldest East African Otomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Cranium has left and right upper M123. Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Murinae Otomyini Otomys petteri No
OVPP-Tatera 4 3964 7 - FLK North CRA-f, M I 1 Denys, C. 1989. Two new gerbillids (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Olduvai Bed I (Pleistocene, Tanzania). Neues Jahrbuch f Specimen is described as the "anterior skull fragment with the left and right upper molar rows" Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae Gerbillinae Taterillini Tatera gentryi Holotype 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
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
OVPP-Muridae 4 40 7 - FLK North P, M, I, C 104 - Unknown I upper 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Several specimens of unidentified murids are present. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Myomorpha Myodonta Muroidea Muridae The author is unsure of the taxonomy. No
OH 83 13062 17 - PLK 323 - 23 NRCR 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania Ndutu Upper Reiner, W. B., Masao, F., Sholts, S. B., Songita, A. V., Stanistreet, I., Stollhofen, H., … & Hlusko, L. J. (2017). OH 83: A new early modern human fossil cranium from the Ndutu beds of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. American journal of physical anthropology, 164(3), 533-545. 292 - Proyecto Olduvai Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae 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 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
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
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
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 8 3723 6 - FLK NN 283 - 45 PHX , CAR , TAR , CLA , AST , CAL , CUNE , CUB , NAV , M-f 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The molar-f was found on the surface and "probably also belongs to OH 8" (Leakey MD, 1971:228). Twelve associated foot bones including astragalus (has carnivore tooth marks (Leakey MD, 1971), calcaneus, cuboid and navicular, cuneiforms 1- 3, proximal ends with shafts, five metatarsals. Proximal ends of one metacarpal and three finger phalanges. One radius shaft. Clavicle with damaged articular ends. Foot articulates "almost perfectly with the OH 35 leg" (Susman, 1983:372). 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype No
OH 9 3724 71 - LLK 284 - 46 CALV 2 December 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Upper II D Surface Leakey LSB. 1966. Homo habilis, Homo erectus and the Australopithecines. Nature, 209(5030), 1279–1281. Calvaria. "Chellean Man." 264 - Leakey family expedition No Yes. Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
OH 12 3727 18 - VEK 286 - 86 OCC , L/R-PAR , L/R-TEM-f , CRA-f , L-PAL , L-MAX , TOOTH-f 1962 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV? a Surface. Found on eroded slope of Bed III. L-TEM-f from just below marker Tuff IVa. Leakey, L., and Leakey, M. 1964. Recent discoveries of fossil hominids in tanganyika: at Olduvai and near Lake Natron. Nature 202:5-7. Crowns of teeth not preserved. Bed IVA determined on basis of matrix adhering to L-TEM-f and PAL. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No L-TEM-f & PAL found with matrix adhering. Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
OH 13 3728 27 - MNK 287 - 88 "Skull Site" MAN , MAX , CRA-f 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Lower Middle IIB 5 feet above chert horizon Paratpye. "This consists of a sub-adult skull, probably female, with the third molars coming into wear. It is represented by the greater part of the mandible, including the complete dentition, although the crowns of the incisors are damaged and the left ascending ram us is not preserved; the greater part of the maxillae, represented by two fragments both lacking the anterior portions; the greater part of the occipital; the right parietal and temporal; parts of the left parietal and temporal; together with a few frontal fragments and approximately fifty additional pieces which it has not been possible to fit together" (Leakey MD, 1971:231). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 5 pieces found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype 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 15 3730 27 - MNK 287 - 88 "Skull Site" C , M 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Lower Middle Above level of OH 13. Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. One canine, two molars. Canine is worn, molars are upper molars. "The teeth are exceedingly robust and show an unusual degree of wear. They were not found in close association; one molar and the canine lay approximately I ft. "Qelow the top of the tuff in which they occurred, whilst the second molar was 4 ft. distant and 1 ft. deeper in the deposit" (Leakey MD, 1971:232). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 7 pieces found at House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo No
OH 16 3731 72 - FLK Maiko Gully 283 - 45 CRA-f , TOOTH , MAN , 1963 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II base Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Upper and lower dentition, calotte, and > 1500 unidentified fragments due to cattle trampling. Majority of fragments found on surface of Tuff IF, some teeth found in situ, 2 feet above Tuff IF. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Leakey LSB, 1964 refers to this specimen as Homo erectus. Leakey, Tobias, and Napier provisionally assign it to Homo habilis (referred material, not paratype) (1964), and Leakey MD, 1971 refers to it as cf. Australopithecus. Yes
OH 22 3737 73 - VEK/MNK R-MAN-f , R-P , R-M , R-I-f , R-C-f 1968 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III/IV Surface, indeterminate gravel Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Right half of mandible with roots of I1-C and complete P3-M2. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo cf. erectus No
OH 24 3739 74 - DK E CRA , M , P 1968 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Lower Surface Tobias, PV. 1991. The Skulls, endocasts and teeth of Homo habilis. Cambridge: University Press. Cranium is crushed. Teeth not specified. From same horizon as OH 4. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis 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 33 3748 6 - FLK NN CRA-f 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Surface Tobias, PV. 1991. The Skulls, endocasts and teeth of Homo habilis. Cambridge: University Press. Thin vault fragments. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo Very thin skull No
OH 48 3763 6 - FLK NN CLA 1960 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 -- Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis 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
OH 79 3794 49 - BK E CRA-f 2007 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lower-Middle Surface. OLAPP “Discovered by an Earthwatch project led by F.T. Masao in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and will be described elsewhere.” -R. Clarke (2011)/Earthwatch Weathered. No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae No
OH 1968 3797 40 - JK CRA 1968 125 - Germany Ndutu Lower Surface. Von Zieten RRR. 2009. Preliminary report on a new Olduvai hominid from 1968: an Anatomically-Modern-Man from Upper Ndutu Bed. Retrieved from http://www1.uni-hamburg.de/ Anatomically modern. Complete skull. Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo sapiens Anatomically modern No
OVPP-L-212 8335 C 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania -- Box #: OLD 86. Box label: Teeth 158 - W. Reiner 2012/07/01 Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae No
OVPP-Hippopotamus 1 112 CRA, MAX, MAN 104 - Unknown I, II, IV Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. The author mentions several specimens from beds 1, 2, and 4. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae Hippopotaminae Hippopotamus gorgops No
? 9220 CRA 128 - Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany -- Holotype. Reck field number: XX 1475?. Mfn room number: Outside 2251. Cabinet: Vitrine. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Suiformes Hippopotamoidea Hippopotamidae Hippopotaminae Hippopotamus gorgops Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
1931 II 1196 8815 SCP-f 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany -- Fragment. Label/publication taxon ID: none. Reck Field No.: none. No label, no field number. V large size (giraffe?). This specimen's number was not visible in any photographs. There are multiple photographs with fossils that potentially represent this specimen. As a result, all photographs that may represent the specimen were added to this record. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae Sivatheriinae Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
1931 II 1197 8816 SCP-f 1913 116 - Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie (BSPG), Munich, Germany -- Fragment at glenoid. Label/publication taxon ID: none. Reck Field No.: none. No label, no field number. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Giraffoidea Giraffidae Sivatheriinae Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No