ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS ON THE FIRST WAVE OUT-OF-AFRICA: EVIDENCE FROM DMANISI IN THE GEORGIAN CAUCASUS

LORDKIPANIDZE, David O., Georgian State Museum, 3 Purtseladze St, Tblisi, 380007, Georgia and FERRING, C. Reid, Univ North Texas, PO Box 305279, Denton, TX 76203-5279,

"Environmental Controls on the First Wave Out-of-Africa: Evidence from Dmanisi in the Georgian Caucasus

Current research at several Plio-Pleistocene localities in the Southern Caucasus is yielding significant new data bearing on the origins of Homo and factors surrounding the first migrations of hominins beyond Africa. Dmanisi, Tsalka and Khotsahuri, dating to ca. 1.75-1.8 Ma, each preserve important paleoenvironmental data that will be used to reconstruct the ecological setting of the oldest documented occupations of this region at Dmanisi. Remarkably preserved fossils of several hominins, in geologic context with stratified assemblages of both animal fossils and Mode 1 lithic artifacts are enabling detailed studies of perhaps the earliest adaptations of Homo to temperate landscapes. The Dmanisi hominin remains are the first discovered outside of Africa to show clear affinities to early African Homo. Paleontological and geologic data from Dmanisi and other localities register a semi-arid climate and a landscape with considerable habitat diversity. The hominin site was flanked by rich lacustrine and riparian habitats, which were regularly visited by diverse predator and prey species from the surrounding forest-steppe communities. The evidence of repeated occupations at Dmanisi, rarely documented in such early sites, will provide new insights into patterns of mobility and resource exploitation by early Homo in the highly diverse biomes of the Caucasus region.