How volcanic eruptions preserved millions of years of human history in Ethiopia

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Located 50 kilometers from Addis Ababa, Melka Kunture is a treasure trove of early human activity. For millions of years, the Awash River and nearby volcanic activity have buried and protected archaeological sites, creating a unique record of hominin evolution that spans from the Oldowan period to the Middle Stone Age.

Melka Kunture, designated a World Heritage Site in 2024, sits within a 3,000 square kilometer basin in the upper Awash Valley. The site’s preservation is largely due to the Awash River, which regularly reestablished its course following volcanic episodes, depositing layers of sediment that buried archaeological remains. These deposits reach a cumulative thickness of about 100 meters, shielding artifacts and hominid fossils from erosion for millennia.

The site’s chronology is anchored by volcanic materials, including eruptions from Mount Zuqualla. While early claims suggested human occupation dating back 2.0 million years, detailed chronostratigraphic analysis has refined this timeline. The sequence begins with Oldowan sites like Karre and Garba IV, roughly 1.7 million years old. As the record progresses, sites like Garba XII and Simbiro III capture the transition to the Early Acheulean, followed by later Acheulean sites such as Gombore II, dated to about 0.8 million years ago, and Garba I, dated to approximately 0.5 million years ago.

The site is also a testament to early technological adaptation. Excavations have revealed that hominins exploited nearby obsidian outcrops at Balchit as early as the initial Oldowan phases. This volcanic glass was used to produce tens of thousands of blades and cores. The site has yielded significant hominid remains, including fragments of H. erectus and archaic H. sapiens, providing a rare look at the biological and cultural evolution of our ancestors within a mixed upland habitat.

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