Serengeti National Park is a protected area in northern Tanzania, in the central part of the Serengeti Plain, east of Lake Victoria. an area of almost 15 thousand square kilometers. is one of the largest, and certainly the most famous national parks in the world. You have probably watched the Lion King or seen the beautiful landscapes of savannas with single rocks or acacia trees, among which walk giraffes, elephants, rhinos and of course the lions and hyenas known from the cult fairy tale. Serengeti National Park can be visited by going there on safari.
Polish scientists led by dr hab. Marta Osypińska, prof. of the University of Wrocław and dr Piotr Osypiński from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences also became interested in this area, but not for tourist reasons, but for scientific reasons. They noticed that recently, South America and Asia have enjoyed considerable interest from archaeologists, while the scientific fashion for the great African savannas has passed. The Serengeti area was last studied 40 years ago by the American scientist prof. John Bower and 20 years ago by prof. Audax Mabulla from the University of Dar es sallam in Tanzania. Unfortunately, many results have not been published in scientific journals, and the only (and not very accurate) maps of the area are in the possession of prof. Mabulla. The only current foreign scientific research is conducted in Olduvai Gorge at the border of the national park. This is also an interesting area, traces of human presence and other hominid species from 2.6 and 1.7 million years ago have been found there.
Research conducted so far has shown the enormous scientific potential of the Serengeti, especially in the context of the Paleolithic, or Old Stone Age.
The research, which ended in August, was the first season of the study. The archaeologists wanted to see if there were archaeological sites suitable for research in the field of interdisciplinary environmental studies. – We drove around the rock outcrops that everyone probably associates with The Lion King, where lions love to bask – described the archaeologist. They are an excellent observation point of the valley, but they also abound in numerous rock shelters and caves. The recording of the research was made available in social media.
In two caves they were found previously unknown rock paintings and a significant amount of arranged animal bones. – It was clearly some kind of shelter, which is also indicated by traces of scorching from a fire, fragments of pottery, stone tools – said the interlocutor of Nauka w Polsce. In the second place, in addition to paintings, researchers also found the remains of a human skeleton. – It is possible that this is a place associated with the burials of ancient shepherds. They practically did not bury the dead, only symbolically leaving their remains for animals, there are indications that they could have left them in such caves – described Prof. Osypińska.
The discovered paintings depict Masai shields, figures and animals – both wild and cattle. They were painted with ochre, powdered bone and coal. All discoveries were documented, and samples were taken, which will be sent to laboratories in Poland, where they will be examined. Unfortunately, many of the sites have been damaged by tourist activity. Although in Tanzania, similarly to Poland, there is a law requiring the examination of the area before investment, due to the lack of awareness, or even the conviction that such valuable traces of ancient human presence do not exist, it has remained dead for years.
This is an additional challenge for Poles, who, in addition to conducting research, will have to face popularization activities in this African country. First, however, it will be necessary to make accurate maps documenting the discovered sites.
Source: naukawpolsce.pl
Source: geekweek.interia.pl
