The paleoecology and taphonomy of AMK (Bed I, Olduvai Gorge) and its contributions to the understanding of the “Zinj” paleolandscape

AMK (Amin Mturi Korongo) is a newly discovered site situated under Tuff IC (Bed I, 1.84Ma). It contains several fossiliferous levels and the top one is situated on the same paleosurface as FLK-Zinj. For the first time this allows sampling the “Zinj” paleoenvironment well into the Secondary Gorge and expands the known area of this paleolandscape. Fossils found at this site show exceptional preservation. Several articulated units have been discovered, indicating minimal postdepositional disturbance and rapid sedimentation. This assemblage allows a general estimation of time span (the most elusive variable in archaeological analyses) for the formation of AMK. Phytolith analyses have discovered a dense palm forest at the site, expanding the forested area known on the slightly elevated platform that contains the FLK-Zinj – FLK-NN – PTK sites. Although a few artifacts have been discovered in the vicinity of AMK, the site was mostly naturally (i.e., non-anthropogenically) formed. This is of major relevance to determine that factors other than forested habitats must have influenced the formation of anthropogenic sites on the same platform as AMK in the Olduvai lacustrine basin. •The FLK area was a meeting point of herbivores, carnivores and hominins 2Myr ago.•AMK, a contemporary site to the anthropogenic FLK sites was examined.•Results suggest that AMK might be a natural background scatter created by carnivores.•Factors other than forested habitats favored the formation of anthropogenic sites.