Lucy from Ethiopia

Postcard

The Awash valley in Ethiopia contains one of the most important groupings of paleontological sites on the African continent. The remains found at the site, the oldest of which date back at least 4 million years, provide evidence of human evolution which has modified our conception of the history of humankind.

The most spectacular discovery came in 1974, when 52 fragments of a skeleton were found. The skeleton became known as Lucy, inspired by a Beatles song that blasted out of a cassette player as the researchers celebrated their discovery that evening. It shows, for instance, that our distant ancestors began to walk upright on two legs long before they developed big brains.

 

The latest news about Lucy: a closer look on the bones suggests that one of the bones may in fact  belong to a baboon.

The Lower Valley of the Awash is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Thx Steve!