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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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1690 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
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 11 3726 24 - DK 285 - 13 PAL , L-MAX-f , TOOTH-f 1962 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Ndutu Lower Found in stream bed at bottom of gully near DK excavations. See curatorial notes for details. Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left half of palate and maxillary arch, crowns of teeth not preserved. "It is thus impossible to assign to any stratigraphic level, although the condition of the bone, which bears a pinkish tinge, is similar to that seen in fossil bones from a conglomerate at the head of the DK gully belonging to the lower Ndutu Beds" (Leakey MD, 1971:230). 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 sp. 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 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 18 3733 55 - FLK W 283 - 45 PHX 1969 104 - Unknown II Middle- 10 feet above base of Bed II, below Tuff IIC Surface Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Phalanx of the hand. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae No
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 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
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 25 3740 268 - 54 L-PAR-f 1968 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV a Surface Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left parietal fragment ca. asterion. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Juvenile. No
OH 28 3743 38 - WK 290 - 36 L-PVG-f , L-FEM-f 1970 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania IV a Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Left femoral shaft and left innominate. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
OH 42 3757 37 - HWK EE P-f 1972 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Upper Surface. 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 upper premolar. 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 51 3766 35 - GTC L-MAND-f, L-P, L-M 1974 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III Surface. -- Mandible fragment with P4 and M1. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo erectus No
OH 56 3771 24 - DK L-PAR-f 1976 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Lower -- Three conjoining parietal fragments in region of bregma. 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 57 3772 14 - HWK E P-f 1977 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Lower II Surface. -- Lower P3 or P4 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
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
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 68 3783 18 - VEK Mand-f, R-P-f 2001 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lower Mandible fragment with unerupted P4 and root of M1. Specimen is pictured in the middle in image 1. Specimen is shown in the middle of the top row in image 2. Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus africanus OH 13-like No
OH 69 3784 80 - MCK L-P 2002 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Lower Lower P4. Specimen is pictured on left in image 1. Specimen is pictured on left in image 2. Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis sunsu lato No
OH 73 3788 81 - HWK W L-P 2006 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I Upper Surface. 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 Left P3. Specimen is pictured third from the left bottom in image 1. Specimen is shown on left in image 2. No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo habilis sensu stricto 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
MLK 068/6514 3803 34 - MLK CRA-f, P, M, (n=3) II Lower From horizon above Lemuta Member of Lowed Bed II Leakey MG and Leakey REF. 1973. New large Pleistocene colobinae (Mammalia, Primates) from East Africa. Fossil Vertebrates of Africa Vol. 3, 121-38. Similar to colobine specimen KNM-ER 398 in cranial dimensions. Maxillary dentition represented by P4, M2, M1, M2. Crania is represented by multiple fragments, and some fragments are missing. Large canine socket of right maxilla indicates specimen is male. Specimen is pictured in Plate 3. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Either Cercopithecinae or Cynopithencinae. Author states that the cranium is typical of Cercopithecinae but that the dental morphology resembles Cynopithecinae. No
2609 3943 MAX, P, (n=4), M, (M=2) II Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Author lists specimen in an assemblage that is described as coming from FLK N, FLK NN, and MNK but does not specifically assign site. Specimen is pictured in image 1. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/6/28 Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OH 81 4021 19 - SHK R-PAR-f 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Upper Lower portion. In overlying clay tuff. Dominguez-Rodrigo, M., Pickering, T.R., Diez-Martinm, F. et al. (2012) Earliest Porotic Hyperostosis on a 1.5-Million-Year-Old Hominin, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. PLoS ONE 7(10): e46414. doi:10.1371/jou 2012/6/29 292 - Proyecto Olduvai Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae No
Olduvai (unnumbered) 5408 PHX 104 - Unknown Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini No
MLK 068/6514 7564 34 - MLK CRA-f, P, M, (n=3) II Lower From horizon above Lemuta Member of Lowed Bed II Leakey MG and Leakey REF. 1973. New large Pleistocene colobinae (Mammalia, Primates) from East Africa. Fossil Vertebrates of Africa Vol. 3, 121-38. Similar to colobine specimen KNM-ER 398 in cranial dimensions. Maxillary dentition represented by P4, M2, M1, M2. Crania is represented by multiple fragments, and some fragments are missing. Large canine socket of right maxilla indicates specimen is male. Specimen is pictured in Plate 3. 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Either Cercopithecinae or Cynopithencinae. Author states that the cranium is typical of Cercopithecinae but that the dental morphology resembles Cynopithecinae. No
OVPP-481 9852 P-f, TOOTH-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Upper 5 meters below Tuff 1F. -- Maxillary premolar and associated root fragment. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/26 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OVPP-626 9999 P-f, M-f, L/R-I 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower Surface 6m below Tuff IB; sandy calcareous clays. -- Fragment of mandibular P4, fragment of molar, and right mandibular I2, right maxillary I1. Four teeth- labeled A, B, C, and D. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/07/02 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OVPP-709 10082 R-SCP-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower Just below Tuff IA. -- Right scapular fragment with glenoid fossa. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/07/07 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
OVPP-737 10110 L-MAX-f, L-P, L-M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower Eroded onto lag just below Tuff IA. -- Left maxilla fragment with P4-M3. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/07/07 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae No
M. 14953 1311 10 - BK L-MAN, L-M, L-P 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Red Bed Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) This specimen is pictured in plate 15c and 15d. 146 - C. J. Jolly Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Theropithecus No
M. 14681 1313 L-MAX-f, L-M, L-P 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) II Hopwood, A. 1934. New fossil mammals from Olduvai, Tanganyika territory. Annals of the Magazine of Natural History. 10: 546-550. This specimen is pictured in plate 14b and 14c (Jolly, 1972). 293 - A.T. Hopwood Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus leakeyi This specimen was reclassified as aff. Theropithecus by Jolly (1972). No
BK II 1952 318 1329 10 - BK PHX 1952 104 - Unknown II Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) Specimens 316, 317, 318, and 319 are all from the same individual. 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini No
BK II 1952 319 1330 10 - BK PHX 1952 104 - Unknown II Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) Specimens 316, 317, 318, and 319 are all from the same individual. 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini No
BK II 1953/69 1332 10 - BK PHX 1953 104 - Unknown II Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini No
Olduvai (unnumbered) 1333 PHX 104 - Unknown Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini No
M. 14937 1334 24 - DK R-MAN-f, R-M, R-P 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) I Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini No
M. 14938 1335 24 - DK R-MAN, R-P, R-M I Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini No
Old. 1472/57 1338 63 - JLK MAN, P 104 - Unknown IV Jolly, C. J. 1972. The classification and natural history of Theropithecus (Simopithecus)(Andrews, 1916), baboons of the African Plio-Pleistocene: British Museum (Natural History) 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cynocephalinae Simopithecus jonathani No