[CPProt.net] Ethiopia discovers 30 million years old fossils

[MSN CPPnet]

     Ethiopia discovers 30 million years old fossils 
      BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Jul 07, 2005 



      Text of report in English by pro-Ethiopian government Walta 
Information Centre website on 7 July 



      Addis Ababa, 7 July: The Authority for Research and Conservation of 
Cultural Heritages said remains of plant and animal specimen estimated to be

30 million years old have been unearthed in Ethiopia. 



      Archaeology and palaeoantropology department head with the authority, 
Dr Yonas Beyene told Walta Information Centre on Tuesday [5 July] that the 
animal and plant fossils ranging up to 30 million years and 500,000 years 
old stone tools were discovered at Chilga, middle Awash, Melkakuntire, and 
Fejej areas [Central Ethiopia]. 



      Dr Yonas said detailed analysis was still under way on 28 and 30 
million years old animal and plant fossils discovered in Chilga, Gonder 
areas. 



      He said stone tools ranging from four million years to 100,000 years 
were also discovered in Milechifra, Gona, Dikak and Sidima in Awash valley, 
at Galili in Somali state [southwest], Cheleleka in West Hararghe and 
Melkakuntre in West Shewa zone [central]. 



      Six studies focused on the life style, the settlement pattern as well 
as cultural civilization and technological aspects of ancient people that 
lived before several million years in prehistoric era have been conducted. 



      Paleoantropological studies would help in understanding the history of

people who left no written document or inscription behind them, Dr Yonas 
said, adding that such studies have been conducted in Kafa-Shaka, Gamo, 
Askersa [southern]and Benishngul-Gumuz [western] in the country. 



      He meanwhile said registration of a site has also been carried out at 
Armufo-dilala in West Shewa, 100 kms away from Addis Ababa where 800 years 
old 18 standing steles depicting human pictures were discovered. 



      Dr Yonas said discussion was held with the local community to conserve

and develop the burial area to which work on administration plan was under 
preparation. 



      The discovery of human specimen found in Omo valley area has helped 
push the history of early hominid prehistoric era from 165,000 years to 
196,000 years, he added. 



      Source: Walta Information Centre website, Addis Ababa, in English 7 
Jul 05 



      C BBC Monitoring 



      _____________________________________________________________________ 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050708/1aee54f7/attachment.htm