Volcanic markers in coarse alluvium at Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia)
Résumé
The knowledge we have today of the different volcanic episodes which occurred over the last several million years in the environment of the Melka Kunture prehistoric sites allows a new appraisal of the nature and abundance of emitted lavas that are represented in the alluviums of the Awash River and its tributaries. Moreover, the most compact facies can also be seen in the different archaeological sites. Several alluvial units and some archaeological layers have been sampled and petrographic counts performed on the basis of mainly macroscopic and some microscopic determinations of the lavas. They allow comparisons between samples and offer a better understanding of local available raw materials for use by hominids.