Initial archaeological explorations of the early 1970s in the Kada Gona, Afar, Ethiopia
indicated the presence of artifacts of great antiquity in the region (Roche and Tiercelin, 1977,
1980; Harris, 1983). The systematic archaeological excavations undertaken at East Gona
between 1992–1994 have resulted in the discovery of the oldest known stone artifacts from
EG-10 and EG-12 localities dated to w2. 6–2.5 million years (Myr)(Semaw, 1997, 2000, in
press; Semaw et al., 1997). The recent systematic excavations of two new sites in the Ounda …