Guided Tour – Turkana Tools Exhibition
The dawn of technology
Saturday, 26 February 2022
10am – 11.30 am, Nairobi National Museum
By Dr Fredrick Manthi, Director of Antiquities, Sites and Monuments, and a Senior Research Scientist (Palaeontology), National Museums of Kenya.
In 2021, the oldest tools dated to 3.3 million years ago were discovered on the western shores of Lake Turkana in the northern Kenya. They are the first ever known sharp flakes, deliberately struck off large heavy volcanic rocks to be used as knives. These tools made of stone were the first knives and would have been useful for cutting up foods, perhaps including meat scavenged by small-bodied and small-brained hominids like Kenyanthropus or Australopithecus.
This and other discoveries made by palaeontologists and archaeologists in Turkana, are helping to unravel the evolution of our early human ancestors, Australopithecus and early Homo. This includes their intelligence and skills, the habitats in which they lived, and on the importance of technology in the human story.
Dr Manthi will highlight the West Turkana Archaeological Project (WTAP’s) commitment to help develop and strengthen local expertise in prehistoric paleosciences, archaeology, and cultural heritage management, and also share his insight on the need for long-term preservation and conservation of sites and collections within the Turkana basin.
Note:
Contributions to this exhibition and photos are by the West Turkana Archaeological Project (WTAP). Read more about this project on: https://mpk-wtap.com/
Cost:
KMS Member – Adult Ksh 1,000, Child Ksh 500 (with up to date membership card)
Guest (inclusive of Museum entry fee)
Citizen – Adult Ksh 1,300, Child Ksh 700
Resident – Adult Ksh 1,600, Child Ksh 800
Payment:
M-PESA Paybill, Business No: 400800, Account: 6571570019
Included:
- Guided tour of the exhibition by Dr Fredrick Manthi, Director of Antiquities, Sites and Monuments, and a Senior Research Scientist (Palaeontology), National Museums of Kenya.
- Mock excavation exercise, at the Museum
Bookings:
Whatsapp – 0724 255 299
Email – info@kenyamuseumsociety.org
Proceeds support various projects of the National Museums of Kenya
