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Journal of Human Evolution 46 (2004) 751-761
The earliest human occupation of North Africa: a reply to
Sahnouni et al. (2002)
Denis Geraads 1, Jean-Paul Raynal 2, Vera Eisenmann 3
(2004)

In a series of papers, Sahnouni et al. (1996, 2002) and Sahnouni and de Heinzelin (1998) have reported the results of their renewed excavations at
the important Algerian localities of Ain Hanech and Ain Boucherit, first studied by Arambourg (e.g., Arambourg, 1970, 1979). According to the latest paper by Sahnouni and co-workers (Sahnouni et al., 2002), Ain Hanech would belong to the Olduvai subchron, dated to 1.77–1.95 Ma. This would make it by far the earliest North African site with evidence of hominid presence, and the time-equivalent of Olduvai Bed I, circum- KBS tuff levels at Koobi Fora, and Omo Shungura Member H. However, a review of the evidence put forward by Sahnouni et al. (2002) casts doubt on their conclusions. This evidence consists of 1) paleomagnetism, 2) biochronology, and 3) archaeology. They are discussed in this order below, preceded by a review of the more continuous Moroccan Atlantic sequence.
1:  Dynamique de l'évolution humaine : individus, populations, espèces (DEHIPE)
CNRS : UPR2147
2:  de la Préhistoire à l'Actuel, Cultures, Environnement, Anthropologie (PACEA)
CNRS : UMR5199 – Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux I – Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication
3:  Paléobiodiversité et paléoenvironnements
CNRS : UMR5143 – Université Pierre et Marie Curie [UPMC] - Paris VI
Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory
Morocco – Algeria – North Africa – Early Pleistocene – Early hominids – Occupation site
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