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7/31/1956 - Ancient African Hardware by Robert F. Gray

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS RFG Barclays Bank Ancient African Hardware Arusha Tanganyika July Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York NoYo Dear Mr Rogers Traveling through highlands East Africa I begun sense durability elevated geological shield which constitutes interior African plateauo Tectonic events history continent produced valleys mountains volcanoes great elevated remains basically unchanged Ther Pleistocene period brought great climatic changes Africa elsewhere world unlike Europe North America fluctuations climate East Africa extreme produce continental sheets which precluded existence This situation dynamic limited geological changes surface stable durable continent might expected provide fitting environment evolution species Homo saPiens which generalized primitive general morphology specialized manual dexterity highly adaptable change In recent finds human fossils artifacts probability Africa principal cradle human Although discoveries South Africa East Africa provided fragmentary important evidence going Pleistocene period Dr Leakey found human skull fragments Kanam Kanjera Lake Victoria Kenya which dated early Pleistocene while skull foundat Lake Eyasi roughly equated Homo rhodesiensis A variety stone tools found East Africa ranging earliest paleolithic neolithic In Tanganyika productive 01dural Gorge southern Serenge The existence evidence pale61ithic industries shores Lake Manyara seems generally known I reports published these sites systematic excavations undertaken About months Betty I field Mbuge south Lake Manyara As I walked about Mbuge plain I found flakes white flint which obviously brought distance Some resembled stone implements which I museums The Wambugwe these flint chips roughening stones which grind grain I became curious about source flints One I stopped examine cutting which P W D building through Mbugwe escarpment Magara Mbulu RFG About below surface black layer grave1 probably ancient inlet stream Lake Manyara which contained number flint chips concentration small animal bones remains crustaceans The flints small would probably classified mesolithic industry Here period stone people camped exploited abundant animal shores stream Assuming Pleistocene timethe their probably today escarpmentr mountain ranges volcanoes already formed LaIe M anyarar though higher present levelthe streams feeding perennial rivers vegetation lusher today rainfall considerably higher Although I found these small flints scattered plain sites light glimpse human existence comparatively period evolutionr probably already attained modern The event recorded diary which pertained archeology abscessed molar which goaded drive Arusha emergency extraction On evening Betty I stopped along milepost response nature There I number larger better formed flints I found Mbugwe Ve spent remaining exploring amazed abundance stone implements found surface Our imaginations fired devoted investigation region I shall summarize findings letter The should worth excavating competent archeologist In addition sequence stone industries I think would stand chance discovering significant human fossils Just after rainy season inwet years waters Lake Manyara spread miles miles At present after exceptionally years proper though there large swamps where principal streams enter The bounded escarpment Rift Valley The narrow slope fertile between Escarpment being alienated Europenn farms On several safaris along shore I found evidence stone occupation humans To rises gently Ntarengiri Forest further north Essimingur Range A broad stretch grassland extends eastwards present A series ridges running north south through grassy slope doubt former beaches generally agreed Pleistocene glacial periods Europe reDresented Africa periods ircreased rainfall pluvial periods The Great North Road miles south Arusha follows crest ridges block 45000 acres grassland between recently alienated rnching puruoSeso The owner American named Riddlesbarger organized comgany called Inc number coffee estates Tanganyika The Masai place Ms The ranch being cleared tsetse preparation catle razing manager named Campbelir about milepost Mr Campbell helpful during exploration The ridge milepost crossed narrow ravine which closed forms tunnel through portion ridge The watercourse below tunnel littered flint tools large ments pebbles In tunnel itself found large nodules native flint embedded walls These weighed pounds RF6 contorted multig obular shape This place undoubtedly where ancient flint workers obtained material their tools The floor covered recent sides flints visible surface Excavation below floor would doubt yield finds We actual excavation survey collected sample surface artifacts Within stoners throw ravine there several P W D obtain gravel The loose gravel bottom contains flints which dislodged strata below surface More flints awpear sides About these flints white color sharp bevels The rolled water edges bevels blunted covered yellow patina My tentative interpretation kinds tools tradition marked difference surface texture accidental factor whether deposited protective matrix soiland gravel vulner water rolling surface careful excavation however might reveal different industries widely separated timer represented sharp white blunt patinated flints One P W D through layer volcanic about thick which covers shale This material almost barren three small flints appearing sides The detritus bottom contained larger I found several fragments which might petrified skull I preserved these further analysis under favorable conditions There other gravel immediate vicinity which I investigate cursory inspection In externa appearance ridge level uniform feature Which within space several acres reveal variety cross sections Layers coarse gravely bloWn deposits earth Volcanic material superi mposed different orders different This reminder Pleisocene times tectonic movements Rift Valley caused frequent local changes surface configuration reversals drainage slopes The smooth contours level ridge probably result action ridge served beach larger Lake Manyara This situation should inviting archeo logist geological interpretation TWo miles north across plain Mr Campbells there complex ridges branching larger ridge mentioned preceding paragraphs One ridges breached gully through which water drains rainy season sloping above The Farrab people build there watering livestock already preliminary trench twelve point I spent investigating trench adjoining ridges The whole surface flints though local source flint nodules escaped The trench through solid which mateable dried surface The sides trench sparsely studded small flints clean yellow patina One could reflect elevated exposed water erosion concentrated flints surface RFG25 would quite abundant About inches bottom trench fragment appeared I managed tease pieces dollar These fragments thickness They heavy mineralizedy friable result their position Allowing postmortem flattening pressurey might possibly pieces parietal human child might animal skull No other animal remains could cleanly sides trench From P D ridges around collected about bushel flints bring classify These picked surface random They varied large pebble tools weighing three pounds measuring seven inches length small neatly chipped flake tools The small microliths which found Mbuge appear Mswakino larger tools choppers inches length The simplest these suitably shaped pebble which split longitudinally As slight advance simple chniquey several flakes would knocked sidey cutting center gravity More often chipping three flakes cutting If pebble right shape usually untouched natural cortex But cases necessary knock flakes convenient The flint nodules which provided material these prehistoric knappers often contorted Shape Some specimens collected parently abandoned unfinished because flakes would In expect examples stone tools where perfect pieces would naturally taken camps daily The conventional distinction between flake tools difficult material The policy governing industry seems whole pebble whenever natural shape allowed But often pebble split flaked several places order required shape In these cases would arbitrary whether flake dressed The cutting edges these large tools varied shape Some flaked sides produce single sharp point which Others shaped blunt point crushin purpose The majority curved cutting about inches These tools probably deserve tthand Flat tools straight cutting edges might called cleavers One conjecture exact these tools Those undamaged edges probably cutting material perhaps skinning cutting animals A fairproportion though blunted chopping woody horny The general class tools about They thinner proportionately either flakes plates natural flint The cutting these medium sized tools generally longer large choppers I found their We these ancient hunters PFG25 probably selection perishable materials which required inter mediate cutting tools their manufacture skins tendons grass The common stone tools those bottoms beveled edges which usually called scrapers The scrapers collection could divided number subdivisions according their shape The larger general appearance tortoise shell The bottoms nearly scrapers slightly convex single flake Chips knocked cases around cutting scraping angle about degrees The smaller scrapers could sorted groups Most single flake Of flint usually oblong shape The beveled along sides other being knocked squarely The chipping these small scrapers precise The other group scrapers small cores bottoms flake scrapers carinatedo The scraping tended pointed other square The pointed carinated scrapers merged another class tools which intention produce broad scraping rather narrow incising engraving burin In order cutting slender sharp forward chipped cases leaving rostellate shaped Altogether found implements which classed burins The important class flint tools described blades The simples these slender three sided fragments natural cortex usually forming sides In elaborate intention craftsman seems strike rhomboidal cross section blade chisel In cases beveled looked chisel blade In others sharp edges blunted these probably knives finger placed blunt exert pressure These knife blades Were fragile tools broken On field I walked westwards about Mr Campbell examinea ridge A fewwhite flints appeared western slope ridge places there collections oflarge colored stones Which first I natural stones On closer examination I noted these shape crude They composed material which adapted flaking coarse chert granite conglomerate shale I convinced myself these tools fashioned human hands The flaking scars still rceptible sharp edges smoothed accidents untold Some these tools primitive versions classical stone called poingo Others plates chert shale appeared chopping tools cleavers The smaller pieces convincing doubting I could clearly early forerunners flint scrapers cutting tools The critical evide I judged presence flake scars around The probability these scars being produced accidentally nature certainly remote If RF625 interpretation correct these stones deserve eoliths relics human culture With limited available investigation Mswakin sites necessarily superficial I would bring their existence attention American archeologists A single season excavation equipped expedition might enough establish chronology Mswakin flints could related archeological discoveries other parts Africa The significance eoliths might cleared discoveries which guessed Si Robert F P S Since I finished typing letter I possession microliths gathered general flints One scienti Sleeping Sickness research Ntaringiri Forest I visited alerted lookout flints brought implements which included neatly chipped microliths lunar blades triangular pieces which small projectile points After Mr Campbell drove assortment flints inclvding microliths He brought petrified bones found layin At quick glance collection contsins eleph fragments massive small animals heavily fossilized It might advisable attach paleontologist expedition Received New Zork Ancient Flint Mine Large Flint Nodule RFG Gravel Pit Flint rtifacts Flint Hand Axes Chopping Tools RFG Cores Large Scrapers Smal1 Scrapers Scrapers Blade Tools Burins FG Eolithic Hand Axes Lying Flat Same Implements Edge