National Museum of Ethiopia
As there is no website of the museum the adequate entry to these exhibits may be the german and the english Wikipedia-articles.
Landkarte zum äthiopischen Kulturgut, Äthiopisches Nationalmuseum, Addis Abeba
Map of Ethiopian major heritages ans Sites
Säugetiere - Primaten - Mensch, Äthiopisches Nationalmuseum, Addis Abeba
Rough genealogical tree from mammals to humans
Ardi - besterhaltenes Skelett eines Ardipithecus ramidus, Äthiopisches Nationalmuseum, Addis Abeba
Ardi - partial skeleton of Ardiplthecus ramidus. This partiai skeieton, also nicknamed "Ardi" was excavated in 1994 and 1995. Ardi is considered female because of her particularly small canines and skull. She stood about 120 cm tall and weighed about 45-50 kg, about the same size as female chimpanzees. Males ofAr. ramidus were probably not much larger. Ardi combined tree climbing and bipedai walking on the ground. Her arms and hands were longer than in humans, but shorter than in chimpanzees. She was a less acrobatic, more careful tree climber than chimpanzees. On the ground, she walked with an outward pointing flat foot, and could not run or walk long distances as weil as later human ancestors. Site: Aramis, Middle Awash Valley, Afar Region, eastern Ethiopıa Specimen number: ARA~VP-6/500 Age: 4.4 Ma
Fossilien des ARDIPITHECUS KADABBA
ARDIPITHECUS KADABBA - 5.8 Ma to 5.2 Ma Ar. kadabba was discovered in the Middle Awash study area, Afar, Ethiopia, between 1997 and 2003. Together with two species from Chad and Kenya, Ar. kadabba is one of the earliest human ancestors yet known (see "Early hominids in Africa"). The canines of Ar. kadabba are slightly closer in shape to those of chimpanzees than the canines of the later Ar. ramidus. These two species were found with animals that suggest that the earliest human ancestors found in eastern Africa lived in a wooded environment. ln Afar language, "kadabba" means "big father" or "basal family member." Foreground: Isolated teeth and limb pieces These teeth include primitive-looking upper and lower canines that are pointed in shape, similar to female The limb bones include partially preserved upper arm (humerus) and forearm (ulna) bones, a collar bone (Clavicle), and toe bone (foot phalanx). Site: Middle Awash Valley, Afar Region Age: 5.8 Ma to 5.2 Ma Central platform: mandible (lower jaw) and associated teeth of Ar. kadabba These are holotype specimen (the standard specimen) of Ar. kadabba. The mandible is chimpanzee-sized, but somewhat more robust as in later hominids. The diet of Ar. kadabba was perhaps not as dependent on ripe fruits the modern chimpanzee. The canine of this specimen blunted from the tip, as it is the case in later hominids. This shows that, in contrast to apes and monkeys, the canine was not used as a weapon Ar. Kadabba.
Fossilien des ARDIPITHECUS KADABBA
ARDIPITHECUS KADABBA - 5.8 Ma to 5.2 Ma Ar. kadabba was discovered in the Middle Awash study area, Afar, Ethiopia, between 1997 and 2003. Together with two species from Chad and Kenya, Ar. kadabba is one of the earliest human ancestors yet known (see "Early hominids in Africa"). The canines of Ar. kadabba are slightly closer in shape to those of chimpanzees than the canines of the later Ar. ramidus. These two species were found with animals that suggest that the earliest human ancestors found in eastern Africa lived in a wooded environment. ln Afar language, "kadabba" means "big father" or "basal family member." Foreground: Isolated teeth and limb pieces These teeth include primitive-looking upper and lower canines that are pointed in shape, similar to female The limb bones include partially preserved upper arm (humerus) and forearm (ulna) bones, a collar bone (Clavicle), and toe bone (foot phalanx). Site: Middle Awash Valley, Afar Region Age: 5.8 Ma to 5.2 Ma Central platform: mandible (lower jaw) and associated teeth of Ar. kadabba These are holotype specimen (the standard specimen) of Ar. kadabba. The mandible is chimpanzee-sized, but somewhat more robust as in later hominids. The diet of Ar. kadabba was perhaps not as dependent on ripe fruits the modern chimpanzee. The canine of this specimen blunted from the tip, as it is the case in later hominids. This shows that, in contrast to apes and monkeys, the canine was not used as a weapon Ar. Kadabba.
Fossilien des AUSTRALOPITHECUS ANAMENSIS
AUSTRALOPITHECUS ANAMENSIS - 4.2 Ma to 3.8 Ma Au. anamensis was first named from Kenyan fossils in 1995. It was found the Middle Awash study area, Afar, Ethiopia, between 1994 and 2005. It is the earliest species of Australopithecus, with limb bones similar to those of Lucy's species, Au. afarensis, but with teeth and jaws somewhat recalling those of Ardipithecus. These remains suggest that Ar. ramidus may have rapidly evolved into the larger-toothed and mare robust-jawed Australopithecus. One hypothesis is that Australopithecus had started to exploit more open savanna environments and included tougher, harder, and more abrasive foods than did Ar. ramidus. Central platform: teeth of Au. Anamensis The upper jaw ARA-VP-1/14 (palate) was dated at a slightly younger age than the fossils of Ar. Ramidus. It has worn molars with thicker enamel than in Ar. Ramidus. This is also confirmed by the associated upper teeth from Asa Issie. The canines, although still large, are shaped a bit more like those of Au. Afarensis. Site: Aramis and Asa Issie, Middle Awash Valley, Afar, eastern Ethiopia. Specimen number: ARA-VP-1/14 (palate) and ASI-VP-2/334 (dentition) Age: 4.2 Ma to 4.0 Ma Foreground: Isolated teeth and postcranial (limb) pieces These teeth suggest a morphological transition from Ar. ramidus through Au. Anamensis to Au. Afarensis. The known limb bones are so far fragmentary, but include a partial femur (thigh bone), which looks similar to that of Lucy (Au. Afarensis). Site: Asa Issie, Middle Awash Valley, Afar, eastern Ethiopia.
Fossilien des AUSTRALOPITHECUS ANAMENSIS
AUSTRALOPITHECUS ANAMENSIS - 4.2 Ma to 3.8 Ma Au. anamensis was first named from Kenyan fossils in 1995. It was found the Middle Awash study area, Afar, Ethiopia, between 1994 and 2005. It is the earliest species of Australopithecus, with limb bones similar to those of Lucy's species, Au. afarensis, but with teeth and jaws somewhat recalling those of Ardipithecus. These remains suggest that Ar. ramidus may have rapidly evolved into the larger-toothed and mare robust-jawed Australopithecus. One hypothesis is that Australopithecus had started to exploit more open savanna environments and included tougher, harder, and more abrasive foods than did Ar. ramidus. Central platform: teeth of Au. Anamensis The upper jaw ARA-VP-1/14 (palate) was dated at a slightly younger age than the fossils of Ar. Ramidus. It has worn molars with thicker enamel than in Ar. Ramidus. This is also confirmed by the associated upper teeth from Asa Issie. The canines, although still large, are shaped a bit more like those of Au. Afarensis. Site: Aramis and Asa Issie, Middle Awash Valley, Afar, eastern Ethiopia. Specimen number: ARA-VP-1/14 (palate) and ASI-VP-2/334 (dentition) Age: 4.2 Ma to 4.0 Ma Foreground: Isolated teeth and postcranial (limb) pieces These teeth suggest a morphological transition from Ar. ramidus through Au. Anamensis to Au. Afarensis. The known limb bones are so far fragmentary, but include a partial femur (thigh bone), which looks similar to that of Lucy (Au. Afarensis). Site: Asa Issie, Middle Awash Valley, Afar, eastern Ethiopia.
Lucy is the common name of AL 288-1, several hundred pieces of fossilized bone representing 40 percent of the skeleton of a female of the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis. In Ethiopia, the assembly is also known as Dinkinesh, which means "you are marvelous" in the Amharic language. Lucy was discovered in 1974 in Africa, at Hadar, a site in the Awash Valley of the Afar Triangle in Ethiopia, by paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.. The Lucy specimen is an early australopithecine and is dated to about 3.2 million years ago. The skeleton presents a small skull akin to that of non-hominin apes, plus evidence of a walking-gait that was bipedal and upright, akin to that of humans (and other hominins); this combination supports the view of human evolution that bipedalism preceded increase in brain size.
This is the skeleton of Selam, which means peace in many Ethiopian languages, it was discovered in 2000. She represents the earliest and the most complete skeleton of a child human anvestor ever discovered in the history of paleoanthropology. She was about 3 years old when she died 3.3 million years ago, i.e. 150,000 years before Lucy.. Site: Dikika, Afar Region, eastern Ethiopia Specimen number: DIK-1-1 Age: 3.3 Ma
Fossilien des AUSTRALOPITHECUS AFARENSIS, Äthiopisches Nationalmuseum, Addis Abeba
AUSTRALOPITHECUS AFARENSIS - 3.6 Ma to 3.0 Ma Known from Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya, Au. afarensis is an early species of Australopithecus from which the later species evolved. Many of the best and the most abundant fossils of this species have been discovered at Hadar, in the Afar rift, including the famous "Lucy" partial skeleton, and ”Selam, the first child". The latter is a partial skeleton of a three-years-old child, found at Dikika, south of Hadar, in 2000. It is about 3.3 million years old. It is currently under detailed study, but is already world famous as the best-preserved child skeleton of an early human ancestor. The entire skull, much of the neck region and upper body, and parts of the lower body are preserved. Foreground, middle: knee joints of Au. Afarensis. These knee joints show that both small and large-sized individuals of Au. Afarensis walked bipedally. The thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia) form a broken line typical for habitual bipeds, instead of a straight line, found in quadruped apes. Site: Hadar, Afar Region, eastern Ethiopia Specimen number: AL 129-1 (right) and AL 333-4/333x-26 (left) Age: 3.4 Ma to 3.2 Ma
AUSTRALOPITHECUS GARHI - 2.5 Ma Au. garhi was discovered in 1997 at Bouri, Middle Awash study area, Afar, Ethiopia. So far only one partial cranium (brain case and face) has been allocated to this species.Au. garhi had large teeth, but unlike Australopithecus aethiopicus, did not have the robust features suggesting a diet of hard and tough foods. Au. garhi is a possible ancestor for Homo, but the fossil record of this time period is still too limited to know how Homo actually emerged.
600.000 Jahre alter Schädel, Äthiopisches Nationalmuseum, Addis Abeba
600,000 years ago This cranium found at Bodo presents a number of marks made by the sharp edge of a stone tool.
Grab eines Neanderthalers, Äthiopisches Nationalmuseum, Addis Abeba
Less than 100,000 years ago Not only Homo sapiens (our species) buried the dead: many graves of another species, the extinct Homo neanderthalensis, are also known in Europe. This grave of a neanderthal man was discovered at La Chapelle-aux-Saints (Corrèze, France).
1000 Jahre alte Grabstele aus Tiya, Äthiopisches Nationalmuseum, Addis Abeba
Less than 8,000 years ago Funeral constructions are only known from a few thousand years ago. Ethiopia is particularly reknowned for its stelae that are stone monuments associated to the celebration of the dead. The impressive stelae field of Tiya was probably built less than 1,000 years ago. They are part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Homo sapiens idaltu, Äthiopisches Nationalmuseum, Addis Abeba
160,000 years ago This 7-years-old child cranium of Hama sapiens idaltu, BOU-VP-16/5, displays cutmarks and polished surfaces. These resulted from mortuary practices, not from cannibalism. Scale bars are 1 mm.
