Paleoanthropological Field Program (Koobi Fora Field School)
June 14 until July 26
Nairobi, Kenya
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Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office hours:
Summer 2014
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Dr. David R. Braun
203 X Building
(202) 994-6953
David_braun@gwu.edu
N/A
Course Description: This course aims to provide field training in the various sub-disciplines of
Paleoanthropology. Students are expected to learn the basic skills of archaeology, geology, and
physical anthropology. Students are expected to learn the basics of field observation and data
collection.
Course Requirements: Students are required to travel to Kenya for the entirety of the field
course. Students are expected to complete a series of assignments during the six weeks of the field
course. Students are expected to complete readings prior to the field course. The course requires
students to collect primary field data and compile this data as part of a field project that will be
completed during the field course. One exam will take place during the course. This exam will
include aspects of fossil and artifact identification as well as theoretical components of
paleoanthropology based on data collected during the field course.
Learning Outcomes:
1) Students will understand the basics of field data collection associated with paleontology,
Paleolithic archaeology, geology and biology.
2) Students will investigate specific methodologies how they are used to interpret the biology,
behavior, and environments associated with human ancestors.
3) Students will learn to identify major classes of objects frequently recovered from
paleoanthropological sites
4) Students will learn basic fieldwork skills that will be applicable to any fieldwork based science
(mapping, field note collection, contextual data collection; database development and data
collection, basic statistical analysis of collected field data.
Assessment: ˆThe course is structured so that students will acquire skills in the beginning of the
course and apply these skills as part of a major data analysis linked to one of the major research
themes associated with the Koobi Fora Research and Training Program. 25% of the course grade
will be based on a series of assignments that will be conducted during the first 3 weeks of the
field course. 25% of the course grade will be based on a research project that integrates primary
field data as well as preliminary analysis that will be completed during the field course. 12.5% of
the course grade will be based on a field notebook, which will be completed during the field
course and handed in before the final exam. 25% of the course grade will be based on a final
exam, which will include a practical and theoretical component. The final 12.5% of the grade
will be based on a participation grade, which describes your ability to participate in the field
activities.
Course Schedule and Topics*
Letter grades will be generally be assigned according to the following scale: 90-100%=A, 8689%=B+, 80-85%=B, 76-79%=C+, 70-75%=C, 60-69%=D, 59% or below=F. I reserve the
right to adjust this scale down a bit if necessary. Thus, if you have an 89% at the end of the
semester, your final letter grade will be at least a B+, however depending on the class’s
performance as a whole, this might wind up being an A. In addition, excessive absences may
result in failure or final letter grade reduction.
General Policies:
Essay Guidelines
All written assignments must be typed, double spaced, not have excessive margins, be an original
work, and must conform in style to the standard employed in American archaeology for
bibliographic references. Consult the guide for authors in the journal American Antiquity.
Final Project
Students will be assigned to a particular faculty member on the field course, Students will work
directly with that field supervisor in the development of the field project in consultation with Dr.
Braun. The project will test your ability to compile primary field data and to use this data to
develop and test hypotheses about the structure of your data and its implication for our
understanding of paleoanthropology. This field project may or may not be completed with a
field partner student. In the event that you work with another student your contribution to the
final presentation will be defined. All students must hand in their own written project
description. This project description should include a detailed description of how data was
collected; a preliminary analysis of the data collected and final conclusion that include the
limitations of the data as well as the implications for human evolution. This final project will be
handed in before the final exam. There will be two project reviews where Dr. Braun will review
student progress and let them know his assessment of their progress.
Extra credit: There will be no extra credit assignments.
Special Needs: If you require special accommodations for learning difficulties or physical
disabilities, and you have official university acknowledgement of this condition, please see me as
soon as possible to discuss appropriate arrangements. E-mailing/calling the day of an exam to
notify me of your needs is NOT acceptable.
2
Course Schedule and Topics*
TOPIC
ACTIVITY
A. Arrival and Logistics
Orientation
 Arrive at Jomo Kenyatta airport
 Transfer to hotel in Nairobi
 Orientation: safety and health in Kenya,
course overview
 Visit National Museum of Kenya
 Tour of fossil and artifact collections
B. Modern Ecosystems
Modern
 Drive to Mugie Ranch
Ecosystems
 Lectures:
& Safari
o Introduction to Laikipia Plateau
o How to take useful field notes
o What is a mosaic environment:
Insights from faunal and floral
studies
o What is the place of a top predator:
Laikipia Predator Project
o Taphonomy and ecology: actualism
and uniformitarianism
o Faunal analysis and bone walks
 Activities and Exercise:
o Taphonomy and Ecology –
systematic bone walks and transect
surveys
o Pounding tools and vegetation –
behavioral ecology of extractive
foraging
o Mapping –GPS mapping and
general map production
 Using game drives to identify local ecology
(“Are species lists based on game drives
indicative of habitats variation?”)
C. Koobi Fora
Drive
 Drive and overnight in South Horr
 Drive into the Rift Valley, past Lake Turkana
at sunset
 Arrive at Koobi Fora Base Camp
Lectures
 Paleoanthropology Lectures from active
researchers in the field
o Paleoecology – Dr. Kay Behrensmeyer
DAYS
LOCATION
2
Nairobi
5
Laikipia
Plateau –
Melwa Ranch
1
1
South Horr
Koobi Fora
3
Base Camp
3
Course Schedule and Topics*


Ileret




o Faunal Analysis and anatomy (teeth) –
Amelia Villaseñor
o Faunal Analysis and anatomy (postcrania) – Dr. Steve Merritt
o Lithic Analysis – Dr. David Braun
o Holocene archaeology and cultural
heritage management – Dr. Emmanuel
Ndiema
o Hominin evolution and the fossil record
– Dr. Brian Richmond
o Hominin biomechanics – Dr. Kevin
Hatala
o Geochronology-Sam Boone
o Archaeology of Human Origins: Prof.
Jack Harris
o Sedimentary environments of hominin
evolution: Dr. Jonathan Wynn
o Using geochemistry to understand past
diets and lifeways –Dr. Purity Kiura
o Ancient environments and hominin
evolution- Dr. Rene Bobe
o Primates as models for ancient human
behavior: Dr. Susana Carvalho
o Insights in ancients environments from
paleoflora: Dr. Marion Bamford
All researchers conducting projects at
Koobi Fora describe their research projects
Students choose their research project of
interest and are assigned to a research
mentor
Practical Quiz
Drive from Base Camp to Ileret
Mid-term review of project progress with
Dr. Braun
Field work
o Hominin excavation of 1.5 Ma
footprints
o Landscape scale excavations of a
1.5 million yr old river valley
o Pliocene archaeological survey and
excavation
o Geochronology of the Tulu Bor
Member
12
Ileret Camp
4
Course Schedule and Topics*
o Holocene excavation and
ethnoarchaeology interviews
o Paleoecology surveys of Okote
Member
o Throwing and pounding tool
actualistic experiments with local
Daasanech community
Karari Koobi Fora Base Camp
Koobi Fora
 Footprint excavations
Base Camp
 Actualistic experiments
 Final project review with Dr. Braun
 Karari Ridge
o Excavation of FxJj 20 (early
evidence for fire)
o Paleoecology survey of Okote
member
o Archaeological survey of Pliocene
deposits
Koobi Fora
 Excavations in Pliocene Archaeological
Base Camp
localities
 Student Research Project Presentations
 Final Project Hand-in
 Exam
 Field Notebooks due
D. Drive Back to Nairobi
Drive to Loyangalani, overnight
Drive to Nanyuki, overnight: Visit to the Mt. Kenya
forest research station.
Drive to Naivasha
 Arrive in Nairobi
 Dinner and celebration at Restaurant
 Transfers to Jomo Kenyatta airport
5
Karari Ridge
3
Base Camp
1
1
1
2
5
Course Schedule and Topics*