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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/70 553a WK III/4 8289 38 - WK FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III 4 -- Distal end of femur? and part of shaft. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/69 1468 HEB W IV/I 8290 93 - HEB G FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV I -- Distal end of femur and part of shaft. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
UNLABELED SPECIMEN OLD? 8 8291 CRA 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Cranium. Cast. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/63 3181 BK II KNM 2.68 8292 10 - BK PAT 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II -- Patella. Pleistocene. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/63 3120 DK I L/3 KNM 2.015 8293 24 - DK R-FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 Strip III -- Proximal end of right femur. L/3 Strip III Pleistocene. Card in bag with specimen states "Primate?" Other card in bag with specimen states "Cercopithecidae, Cynocephalinae. Head of femur part of Simopithecus individual or 4372 we'll see." 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/69 S.118 SHK W 8294 94 - SHK W FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Distal end of femur. Pleistocene. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OLD/62 068/6130 MCK II.S 8295 80 - MCK FEM-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Surface? -- Proximal end of femur shaft. Pleistocene. 2012/08/13 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea No
OH 62/998 8412 FEM-f, TOOTH 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania -- Femoral head and teeth. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown 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
10 736 10180 7 - FLK North R-COR I Upper Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré C. 1982. Fossil Anhingas (Aves: Anhingidae) from early man sites of Hadar and Omo (Ethiopia) and Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). Geobios 15: 505-515 Right coracoid, almost complete expect for sternocoracoidal process and tip of procoracoid process. "Place of conservation of material : The fossils are currently on deposit at the University of Florida, Department of Zoology, and will later be returned to their countries of origin. The serial numbers such as 2780 are catalogue numbers of the Olduvai birds, and the data are kept at the University of Florida, Gainesville" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1982:510). Specimen number does not match specimen pictured. It is possibly that there is a typo that erroneously listed the specimen pictured in figures 5 and 6. Figure description: "Right coracoid, 10 737, Lower Pleistocene, Frida Leakey Horongo, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. (5) anterior view. (6) posterior view" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1982). 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Aves Suliformes Anhingidae Anhinga hadarensis No
2870 10181 6 - FLK NN R-COR-f I Lower Layer 4 Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré C. 1982. Fossil Anhingas (Aves: Anhingidae) from early man sites of Hadar and Omo (Ethiopia) and Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). Geobios 15: 505-515 Upper half of right coracoid lacking head. "Place of conservation of material : The fossils are currently on deposit at the University of Florida, Department of Zoology, and will later be returned to their countries of origin. The serial numbers such as 2780 are catalogue numbers of the Olduvai birds, and the data are kept at the University of Florida, Gainesville" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1982:510). Specimen number does not match specimen pictured. It is possible that there is a typo that erroneously lists the specimen pictured in figures 5 and 6. Figure description: "Upper half of right coracoid, 2870, Lower Pleistocene, Frida Leakey Korongo, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, posterior view." (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1982). 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Aves Suliformes Anhingidae Anhinga hadarensis No
11 234 10182 58 - KK L-ULNA-f II "Probably lower middle" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1982:510). Brodkorb P., Mourer-Chauviré C. 1982. Fossil Anhingas (Aves: Anhingidae) from early man sites of Hadar and Omo (Ethiopia) and Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). Geobios 15: 505-515 Distal half of left ulna. "Place of conservation of material : The fossils are currently on deposit at the University of Florida, Department of Zoology, and will later be returned to their countries of origin. The serial numbers such as 2780 are catalogue numbers of the Olduvai birds, and the data are kept at the University of Florida, Gainesville" (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1982:510). Figure description: "Fig. 14 - 15 -- Distal half of left ulna, 11 234, Lower Pleistocene, Kudu Korongo, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. (14) internal view. (15) external view." (Brodkorb and Mourer-Chauvire, 1982). 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Aves Suliformes Anhingidae Anhinga hadarensis No
M 103983 11390 10 - BK R-HOR 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK Bed II Surface -- OLD-353 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius angusticornis Yes
M 103942 11833 I 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-964 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae Equinae Equini Equus Yes
M. 14981 12391 69 - GRK S L-Magnum 114 - Natural History Museum UK II Current location 17G; drawer 8; Leakey 1935 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Perissodactyla Equidae No
OLD-1 12394 70 - EHK 2 RIB (proximal); PHX 114 - Natural History Museum UK I -- OLD-1; EHK I S 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Yes
OLD-169 12459 69 - GRK S d-M (4) 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-169; deciduous molar pillars; "Colld. & presd. Dr. LSB Leakey, 1935"; "Presumably associated OLDY GRK II 24.V.35" 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Elephantidae No
OLD-173 12464 5 - FLK UK-f (2) 114 - Natural History Museum UK I -- OLD-173; M. Pleistocene (KAMASIAN) Bed I FLK Olduvai TT found near "Deinotherium" skeleton; Colld. & presd. L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Vertebrate Yes
OLD-212 12493 70 - EHK MAN-f 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK I -- OLD-212; "Oldoway EHK Bed I base 25/VI/35"; Colld & presd. Dr. LSB Leakey, 1935 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Proboscidea Tethytheria Behemota Elephantoidea Elephantidae No
M 103971 12668 10 - BK L-HOR 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-495; "BED II Surface Site BK 9.V.35" 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius angusticornis No
M 103965 12682 30 - DC L-FRLT, L-HOR 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-508; "Bed II Surface Site DC" 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini No
M 103966 12717 39 - MRC L-HOR 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-556; "Bed II Surface Site MRC 10/5/35" 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius angusticornis No
M 103944 12739 78 - FLK S R-M (3), L-M 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-588; right upper M1, M2, and M3 and left M2; "OLD Y FLK II S 3/VII/35" 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Bovinae Tragelaphini No
M. 104145 12770 5 - FLK R-M 03.07.1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK Bed II -- "OLDY FLK II S 3.VII.35"; 636; right upper M3; (Last edit SC 2019) 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini No
M 103976 12846 39 - MRC L-HOR 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-736; "Bed II Surface MRC" 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius angusticornis No
M 103981 12955 22 - SC L-FRLT, L-HOR 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-900; "Bed II Surface SC"; Leakey 1935 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius angusticornis No
M 103969 12975 22 - SC L-FRLT, L-HOR 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK II -- OLD-944; left frontlet with horncore base; "Bed II Surface Site SC" 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Alcelaphinae Alcelaphini Parmularius angusticornis No
M 103943 12987 PHX 1935 114 - Natural History Museum UK -- OLD-972; intermediate phalanx 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae Reduncinae No
FLK I/E-G 391 2 5 - FLK L-MAN, L/R-RAM-f, L-P, L-M, R-P, R-M 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. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Strepsirrhini Lorisiformes Galagidae Galago senegalensis No
S. 61 3120 23 - TK CRA-f, MAN-f 1961 104 - Unknown II 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 crushed. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Papio sp. 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 4 3720 8 - MK 281 - 11 P , M , MAN 1959 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Lower Surface. 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. Paratype. Two isolated teeth (lower molar and upper premolar) and one M3 in a mandible. Found in small block of consolidated tuff. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 282 - H. Mukiri 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis Paratype 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 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 10 3725 7 - FLK North 283 - 45 R-PHX 1961 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Upper (level 5) 3.5 feet below marker Tuff IF at top of Bed I Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Terminal first phalanx. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 154 - Leakey and Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini 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 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 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 23 3738 5 - FLK L-MAN-f , L-P , L-M , 1968 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV/Masek Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left mandible fragment with P4-M2. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. Bed IV in Leakey (1971), referred to as having derived from Masek Beds in other publications (e.g., Millard, 2009). 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No