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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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1523 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
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
M. 14680 1337 R-MAN-f 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) 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) This is a juvenile specimen. It is pictured in plate 16a and 16b. 146 - C. J. Jolly Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Cercopithecoidea Cercopithecidae Cercopithecinae Papionini Theropithecus oswaldi leakeyi 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 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 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 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 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 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 27 3742 37 - HWK EE R-M 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I 3 meters below Tuff IF Surface. Tobias, PV. 1991. The Skulls, endocasts and teeth of Homo habilis. Cambridge: University Press. Lower M3, unworn. "It is not possible to indicate more than broadly the original position of this tooth, since the clays above and below Tuff IF, as well as the Sandy Conglomerate, are all fossiliferous in this areaand yield mammalian teeth in a similar state of preservation to the hominid molar...the tooth was derived from either Upper Bed I or Lower Bed II" (Tobias, 1991:849). 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 38 3753 22 - SC R-M , I , I 1971 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Upper >IID Fluvo-lacustrine 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. Molar is right M2. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus boisei No
OH 44 3759 5 - FLK R-M 1970 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I Zinjanthropus floor 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. Specimen is a crown of upper right M1. 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 53 3768 19 - SHK R-FEM 1957 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II Middle -- Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Homininae Hominini Homo 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 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 75 3790 5 - FLK R-HUM 2009 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania I Zinjanthropus Surface. OLAPP/Earthwatch”Discovered by an Earthwatch project led by F.T. Masao in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and will be described elsewhere.” -R. Clarke (2011) No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea hominidae A. cf. africanus/H. habilis OH 62-like No
OH 76 3791 55 - FLK W R-M 2010 127 - National Natural History Museum, Arusha, Tanzania II Upper? Surface. “Discovered by an Earthwatch project led by F.T. Masao in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and will be described elsewhere.” -R. Clarke (2011) Right upper M1 with roots. No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae 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
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
SHK II E 1203 5395 62 - SHK E R-FEM 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 Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
Olduvai (R) 5397 R-FEM-f 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 Cynocephalinae Simopithecus No
OH 82 13063 R-ULNA III Hlusko, L. J., Reiner, W. B., & Njau, J. K. (2015). A one‐million‐year‐old hominid distal ulna from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. American journal of physical anthropology, 158(1), 36-42. right distal ulna 292 - Proyecto Olduvai Unknown Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae No
MB.Ma.29307 9207 R-P, R-ZYG-f 128 - Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany -- Mfn room number: 2251. Cabinet: P0448-6. Drawer: 71. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Canis mesomelas Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
MB.Ma.29311 9209 R-MAN-f, R-P, R-M 128 - Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany -- Reck field number: VII 814. Mfn room number: 2251. Cabinet: P0448-6. Drawer: 71. 273 - Reck expedition Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Canis Inventoried by Faysal Bibi in 2012. No
358/1960 50 SKULL, MAN, L/R-P, L/R-M 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Specimen is crushed. No locality is given. 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 Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Canis mesomelas latirostris No
6237/1960 53 7 - FLK North L/R-RAM-f, L/R-P, L/R-M 1960 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I upper 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 Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Canis mesomelas latirostris No
308 54 L/R-P, L/R-M 104 - Unknown I Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Locality was not given. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Otocyon recki No
6275 55 L/R-P, L/R-M 104 - Unknown I Leakey LSB. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961, Volume 1: Fauna and Background. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Locality was not given. 130 - L.S.B. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Otocyon recki No
7304 3883 7 - FLK North R-MAN, C, P, (n=4), M, (n=3) I Zinjanthropus 3 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a right mandible with canine to M3. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Canis mesomelas latirostris No
7304 7644 7 - FLK North R-MAN, C, P, (n=4), M, (n=3) I Zinjanthropus 3 Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a right mandible with canine to M3. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Caniformia Cynoidea Canidae Canis mesomelas latirostris No
NN 42 6878 R-PLR 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. 152 - W. Auffenberg Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone sp. The author puts this specimen in Geochelone, species B. No
OVPP-Geochelone 1 3106 10 - BK R-HYPL-f 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) II Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. 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. 152 - W. Auffenberg 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone pardalis No
OVPP-Geochelone 2 3107 24 - DK PLR-f, CARA-f 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. 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. 152 - W. Auffenberg 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone pardalis The author mentions there are over 3,000 fossilized turtle fragments from Olduvai Gorge, 98% of which are from the species Pelusios sinuatus. However, it is unclear which specimens belong to which species based on the description given. When it was unclear, the specimen is only referred to as belonging to the Order Testudines. No
NN 42 3111 R-PLR 106 - Natural History Museum UK (?) Auffenberg, W. 1981. The fossil turtles of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Africa. Copeia 1981:509-522. 152 - W. Auffenberg Unknown Reptilia Testudines Cryptodira Testidinoidea Testudinidae Geochelone sp. The author puts this specimen in Geochelone, species B. No
OVPP-508 9879 R-HUM-f 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower 2 meters below Tuff 1A. -- Right distal humerus. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/30 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Felidae No
OVPP-599 9972 R-P 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania I Lower 2 meters below Tuff IA. -- Right maxillary P4. Found with OVPP-499. 157 - L. Hlusko 2013/06/30 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Hyaenidae No
763 3894 6 - FLK NN R-M I Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is a lower M1. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes pulverulentus Author describes this specimen as a member of the subgenus "Galerella". Specimen is a holotype. No
2636 3897 7 - FLK North R-M Petter, G. 1973. Carnivores Pleistocenes du ravin d’Olduvai (Tanzanie). Fossil vertebrates of Africa 3:43-100. Specimen is right lower M1. Unknown Mammalia Carnivora Feliformia Herpestidae Herpestinae Herpestes debilis Author describes this specimen as a member of the subgenus "Galerella". No