The paleoanthropological region called Bouri is located within the Middle Awash study area of Ethiopia. The Bouri formation, located near the village of Bouri, Ethiopia, has contained within it four archaeological and paleontological-bearing members dated between 2.5 million and 160,000 years ago.
Components at Bouri
Hatayae (Hata) Member (2.5 million years ago [mya]).
The Lower Paleolithic Hata member includes a set of bones from at least two animals (an extinct relative of cow and horse) exhibiting cut marks and percussion marks made by stone tools. Although no stone tools were found at Hata, they are assumed to have been similar to the Oldowan Tradition such as that found at similarly dated sites as Gona and Lokalalei.
Also recovered from the Hata strata was a cranium made the type specimen Australopithecus garhi. 'Garhi' means 'surprise' in the Afar language. Nearby was a partial skeleton that may belong to this species. The Hata formation at Bouri is the earliest evidence to date of the butchery of large mammals by hominins.
Dakanihylo (Daka) Member (1.0 mya).
The Daka strata have artifacts which have been attributed to the early Acheulean period. Hominid fossils recovered from Daka include a skull cap which scholars have argued is Homo erectus.
Herto Lower Member (260,000 years ago).
The lower Herto has later Acheulean artifacts including finely made bifaces and Levallois flakes. No hominid remains have been discovered in this layer.
Herto Upper Member (160,000 years ago).
The Upper Herto has Middle Paleolithic Acheulean transition tools, including handaxes, cleavers, scrapers, flake tools, cores, and blades. The Levallois method of manufacture is in evidence and cut-marked hippopatomid bones are thought to represent butchering evidence. Three hominid crania are believed to be Homo sapiens (H. sapiens idaltu). Some evidence of post-mortem treatment of the dead is indicated by what appears to be intentional scraping modifications on two of the skulls.
Sources
This definition is part of the About.com Guide to the Lower Paleolithic.
In addition to the following academic publications more details about the Bouri formation made be obtained through the Middle Awash Project website.
Asfaw, Berhane, et al. 2002 Remains of Homo erectus from Bouri, Middle Awash, Ethiopia. Nature 416(6878):317-320.
Asfaw, Berhane, et al. 1999 Australopithecus garhi: A New Species of Early Hominid from Ethiopia. Science 284(5414):629-635.
Clark, J. D., et al. 2003 Stratigraphic, chronological and behavioural contexts of Pleistocene Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia. Nature 423:747-752.
de Heinzelin, Jean, et al. 1999 Environment and Behavior of 2.5-Million-Year-Old Bouri Hominids. Science 284(5414):625-629.
Semaw, Sileshi 2000 The World's Oldest Stone Artefacts from Gona, Ethiopia: Their Implications for Understanding Stone Technology and Patterns of Human Evolution Between 2·6-1·5 Million Years Ago. Journal of Archaeological Science 27:1197-1214.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
