High-resolution tephrochronology resolves stratigraphic complexities in archaeologically significant Nariokotome tuffs, Turkana Basin

Abstract

The Turkana Basin is a renowned paleoanthropological region in Kenya and Ethiopia and is famous for discoveries of numerous hominin fossils and their associated cultural technologies. The Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary sequences hosting these important remains are interbedded with volcanic ash (tuff) beds that provide crucial bracketing age constraints. The Nariokotome Tuff Complex, comprising the Upper, Middle, and Lower Nariokotome Tuffs, preserves deposits that cover an important time interval during the late Early Pleistocene that saw milestone events for Homo erectus and associated technological development. Unfortunately, characterization of these tuffs has been hampered by a) overlappin..