Under the direction of Dr. John Harris, Mr. Mzalendo Kibunjia will collect data for his doctoral thesis. In prior work, Mr. Kibunjia has discovered three archaeological sites located to the West of Lake Turkana in Kenya which date to between 1.8 and 2.3 million years in age. Given the geological nature of the region, it is highly likely that additional sites are present. Mr. Kibunjia will conduct detailed stratigraphic excavation at the three sites and analyze the lithic and mammal remains recovered. He will then use geological and other relevant data to set these sites into a broader ecological context. He will also conduct a regional survey to locate, and hopefully excavate, other similar occurrences. Archaeological evidence indicates that the first recognizable stone tools produced by hominids (early humans) date to just over 2 million years ago. All come from sites in Eastern and Central Africa. Because use of complex tools is a uniquely human hallmark, archaeologists are very interested in the development of this trait. Very few sites, however, have been located and the data from these is sparse. Therefore, the Lake Turkana sites are of great archaeological significance and their excavation will hopefully shed new light on early human adaptive strategies. This research is important for several reasons beyond those described above. The data gathered will be of direct interest to a large number of archaeologists who will also study these remains. The project will assist in the training of an extremely promising young scientist and because he is Kenyan it will also contribute to strengthened U.S.-Kenya scientific relations.
