Olduvai gorge.
The archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge is located in the eastern Serengeti in northern Tanzania, within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
This steep-sided ravine, which is 4 to 8 kilometers (30 miles) long, forms part of the Great Rift Valley. It sits on a series of fault lines that, along with centuries of erosion, have revealed fossils and remnants of early humankind.
Known as the "Cradle of Humankind," Olduvai Gorge has been a significant site for archaeological discoveries. Excavations in the early twentieth century by the famous archaeologist Dr. Louis Leakey uncovered some of the earliest fossil hominid remains. Seventeen years after the initial discoveries, Leakey’s wife, Mary, found fossilized footprints of a human ancestor who walked along a riverbank three million years ago.
Since then, excavators at Olduvai have discovered skeletal remains of various ancient hominids, including Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and Australopithecus boisei. The site also revealed old campsites, a presumed butchery site, a circle of loosely built lava blocks suggesting crude shelters, hunting weapons, basic tools, and remains of animals once hunted by humans.
The name "Olduvai" originated from a European misspelling of "Oldupai," the correct Maasai word for the region, named after the wild sisal plant fiber that grows abundantly in the gorge.
Additionally, there is a museum where visitors can attend lectures and view visual representations of the discoveries made in the region.
