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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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7924 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
OVPP-238 7916 P 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Mandibular P2. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/06 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae No
OVPP-239 7917 M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Mandibular -- Mandibular molar. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/06 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae No
OVPP-240 7918 VER 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/06 253 - OVPP No Reptilia No
OVPP-241 7919 P 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Maxillary premolar. 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/08 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Artiodactyla Ruminantia Bovoidea Bovidae No
OVPP-242 7920 M 126 - Mary Leakey Camp, Antiquities Station Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania II Middle -- Maxillary M1 - M3 157 - L. Hlusko 2012/07/08 253 - OVPP No Mammalia Perissodactyla Hippomorpha Equidae 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 Additional pieces from NMK unpublished. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Zinjanthropus boisei Holotype.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 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 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 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 20 3735 11 - HWK 289 - 44 L-FEM-f 1959 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania II or I Lowermost if Bed II, upper if Bed I Surface Day, MH. 1969. Femoral Fragment of a Robust Australopithecine from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Nature. 22: 230-233. Proximal end of large left femur missing head, greater and lesser trochanters damaged. Either Lower Bed II or Upper Bed I (Leakey MD, 1971:233). Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 142 - M. D. Leakey 264 - Leakey family expedition No Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae Australopithecus cf. boisei 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 29 3744 76 - JK W M-f 1969 122 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania III/IVa Leakey MD. (1971) Olduvai Gorge, Vol. 3: excavations in Beds I & II 1960-1963. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Specimen previously housed at National Museum of Kenya. 264 - Leakey family expedition Yes Mammalia Primates Anthropoidea Haplorhini Hominoidea Hominidae 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 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
OVPP-Python 7 1925 VER 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. Several vertebrae are found but it is unclear how many individuals are represented. Specimen(s) are pictured in plate 1, figures 1 and 2. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Boidae Python sebae No
OVPP-Python 8 1926 CRA-f 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. Pieces of cranium are mentioned but the number of individuals represented is unclear. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Boidae Python sebae No
OVPP-Python 9 1927 RIB 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. Pieces of cranium are mentioned but the number of individuals represented is unclear. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Boidae Python sebae No
OVPP-Python 10 1928 RIB 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. Articulated vertebrae in several sections represent a single individual measuring over 6m in length. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Boidae Python sebae No
OVPP-Boaedon 1 1929 VER 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This genus is represented by several small vertebrae. It is unclear how many individuals are represented. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Colubridae Boaedon No
OVPP-Coluber 1 1930 VER 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This genus is represented by several large vertebrae. It is unclear how many individuals are represented. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Colubridae Coluber No
OVPP-Grayia 1 1931 VER 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This genus is represented by several small vertebrae. It is unclear how many individuals are represented. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Colubridae Grayia No
OVPP-Dasypeltis 1 1932 VER 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This genus is represented by several vertebrae. It is unclear how many individuals are represented. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Colubroidea Colubridae Dasypeltis No
OVPP-Naja 3 1933 VER 104 - Unknown I Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This genus is represented by several vertebrae. It is unclear how many individuals are represented. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Elapidae Naja No
OVPP-Bitis 7 1934 VER 104 - Unknown I Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This genus is represented by several vertebrae. It is unclear how many individuals are represented. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Bitis 8 1935 MAX-f 104 - Unknown I Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Bitis 9 1936 MAX-f 104 - Unknown I Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Bitis 10 1937 PTER-f 104 - Unknown I Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Bitis 11 1938 FANG 104 - Unknown I Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. Several fangs are present. It is unclear how many individuals are present. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Bitis 12 1939 RIB 104 - Unknown I Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. Several ribs are present. It is unclear how many individuals are present. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Bitis 13 1940 5 - FLK L-MAX 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This specimen is pictured in Plate 1, figures 5-8. 149 - J. C. Rage Yes Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis olduvaiensis Holotype No
OVPP-Bitis 14 1941 5 - FLK MAX-f 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This specimen is pictured in plate 1, figure 9. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis olduvaiensis No
OVPP-Python 11 1942 MAN 104 - Unknown Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This mandible is pictured in plate 1, figures 3 and 4. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Boidae Python sebae No
OVPP-Bitis 15 1943 5 - FLK VER 104 - Unknown I middle (Zinjanthropus) 22 feet below the upper limit of bed I. Rage J. 1973. Fossil snakes from Olduvai, Tanzania. In: Fossil vertebrates of Africa, vol. 3:1-6. This unknown viperid may indicate another Bitis. 149 - J. C. Rage Unknown Reptilia Squamata Viperidae Bitis No
OVPP-Sciuridae 1 2433 7 - FLK North MAN-f, (n=9) 105 - National Museum and House of Culture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (?) I M3 Denys, C. 1990. First occurrence of Xerus cf. inauris. Palaont. Z. 64: 359 The author mentions nine mandible fragments of Xerus cf. inauris and 25 total remains of sciurids. 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. 147 - C. Denys 264 - Leakey family expedition Unknown Mammalia Rodentia Sciuromorpha Sciurida Sciuridae No
OVPP-Clarias 8 2449 24 - DK R-FRO, SPINE, RAY, VER 1962 104 - Unknown I 1 Greenwood, P., and Todd, E. 1970. Fish remains from Olduvai. In: Fossil Vertebrates of Africa,vol. 2 New York: Academic Press. pp. 225-241. The authors suggest these elements came form a single individual. 151 - Greenwood and Todd Yes Actinopterygii Siluriformes Clariidae Clarias sp. No
OVPP-Clarias 9 2450 24 - DK VER 1962 104 - Unknown I 2 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 sp. No
OVPP-Cichlidae 1 2453 24 - DK PTYG 1963 104 - Unknown I 1 strip 1, spits 1-3 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 Perciformes Cichlidae No
OVPP-Clariidae 1 2454 24 - DK PTRC-f 1963 104 - Unknown I 1 strip 2, spits 1-3 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 No