455:, broad nasal aperture, and negligible alveolar prognathism". They were heavily muscled hunter-fishers, they left a distinctive pottery with wavy lines and probably remained in the region until around 6000 BCE. A radiogenic strontium isotopic analysis done on the burials at the G3 area of the site show limited variability in the mobility of the group: people stayed and lived in the area for most of their lives, and it was only towards the end of this occupation that evidence indicating possible mobility started appearing. Artifacts associated with this occupation at the Gobero site include microliths, bone harpoons and hooks,
471:, who settled the area 1000 or more years after the Kiffians, 6250 BCE to 2550 BCE (8200 to 4500 BP). According to Sereno, "Their crania are long, high and narrow, and their faces are taller with considerable alveolar prognathism". This was a nomadic herding culture. Artifacts found in association include bones and tusks from fauna, projectile points, ceramics, ivory, bone and shell ornaments. There are also middens with remains of catfish, tilapia, hippos, antelope, soft shell turtles, crocodile, and domesticated cattle.
50:
43:
377:
27:
239:
that rises from the lake basin to an elevation of 56.035 metres (183.84 ft) above sea level and extends from east to west. It contains 19 excavated burials, 20 individuals in total. Site G2 is a hill between Site G1 and 3 that contains four burials. G3 is 300 metres (980 ft) northwest of G1
358:
In 2005, Sereno organized an international team of archaeologists to explore the site. These archaeologists discovered that Gobero had been almost continually inhabited for 5000 years, beginning roughly from 8000 BCE onwards when the area fronted a large lake. The 2007 and 2008 expeditions had to be
257:. The next phase is an interruption in the occupation of the site from 6200–5200 BCE due to the return of dry and arid conditions making the site uninhabitable. Phase III dates from 5200 BCE to 2200 BCE and is characterized by the second main occupation of the site at Gobero by a group known as the
479:
At least 182 burial sites were found at Gobero. Of these, 67 have been excavated, and some were found to have pottery and other artifacts located around them. Earlier burials, usually those associated with the early occupation, have bones that are very dark in color which was most likely caused by
540:
Sereno, Paul C.; Garcea, Elena A.A.; Jousse, Helene; Stojanowski, Christopher M.; Saliege, Jean-Francois; Maga, Abdoulaye; Ide, Oumarou A.; Knudson, Kelly J.; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Stafford Jr., Thomas W.; Kaye, Thomas G.; Giraudi, Carlo; N'siala, Isabella
Massamba; Cocca, Enzo; Moots, Hannah M.;
311:
were collected during excavations in 2005-6, all from G1 and G3. Vessel shapes were open and closed bowls and jars. Types of decorative techniques for the pots included rocker stamping, mainly found at site G1, decorations with cord-wrapped tools, and decorations made with combs. Some decoration
492:. A likely family grave was also found, with a woman and two children buried on their sides, facing each other and with hands entwined. They were buried with four hollow based points, and there was pollen evidence found at the probable family burial, suggesting that flowers decorated the grave.
231:
The area was once the location of a freshwater paleolake named Gobero, approximately 3 km in diameter and 3 m in depth. There are eight sites that make up Gobero: G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, and G8, five of which (G1, G2, G3, G5, and G8) have funerary and habitation remains.
480:
their submersion when the lake levels rose. The early burials had tight constriction of the legs, which were usually pulled towards the torso, and arms. This suggests that their bodies might have been wrapped or bound with animal skin, ligament or basketry binding.
483:
According to Sereno (2008), the later burials are "most commonly in semi-flexed postures on either left or right sides". Some of the remains uncovered at the area were decorated with jewelry, including a young girl wearing a bracelet made from the tusk of a
346:
Discovered by team photographer Mike
Hettwer on 13 October 2000, the sheer size and scope of the find, including traces of pottery, human remains and quantities of aquatic-environment animal bones, suggested the site dated to the early- to
252:
of the area, which created the earliest paleodunes at the site. Phase II dates from 7700-6200 BCE and is characterized by a wet climate and the first evidence of occupation by a fisher-gatherer group known as the
672:
Stojanowski, Christopher M.; Carver, Charisse L.; Miller, Katherine A. (2014). "Incisor avulsion, social identity and
Saharan Population history: New data from the Early Holocene southern Sahara".
766:
264:
A wealth of lithic artifacts were recovered from sites G1 and G3, though most came from the surface. A total of 4,685 artifacts came from G1 and 11,503 came from G3. These included
632:
395:
823:
244:
artifacts and pottery. The time frame of the site has been divided into four phases: Phase I dates from around 14,000-7700 BCE and is characterized by weakening
199:. The site contains important information for archaeologists on how early humans adapted to a constantly changing environment. Gobero is located in the
778:
699:
Stojanowski, C. M; Knudson, K. J. (2011). "Biogeochemical inferenes of mobility of earl
Holocene fisher-foragers from the Southern Sahara Desert".
240:
and contains 48 burials with 51 individuals total. Site G8 is 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) west of G3 and contains some human burials as well as
818:
803:
261:. The final Phase, Phase IV, dates from 2500 BCE to 300 BCE and is the period in which the Sahara dries out once more, ending any occupation.
85:
413:
734:
Stojanowski, Christoper M. (2013). "5: An
Archaeological Perspective on the Burial Record at Gobero". In Garcea, Elena A.A. (ed.).
360:
363:. The first comprehensive report on Gobero was published by Sereno in August 2008, and he returned again to the region in 2011.
42:
767:"The Kiffian and Tenerean occupation of Gobero, Niger: Perhaps the largest collection of early-mid Holocene people in Africa"
328:, whose previous expeditions to the region had uncovered numerous fossils, including those of the formerly unknown dinosaur
431:
Evidence of human occupation at Gobero started during the Early
Holocene, dating around 7550 BCE to 6250 BCE (9500 to 8200
312:
styles included plain zigzags, straight zigzags, curved zigzags, zigzags that form fishnet patterns, and dotted zigzags.
808:
813:
657:
Garcea, Elena A.A. (2013). "13. Manufacturing
Technology of the Ceramic Assemblages". In Garcea, Elena A.A. (ed.).
456:
786:
321:
273:
554:
277:
452:
188:
543:"Lakeside Cemeteries in the Sahara: 5000 Years of Holocene Population and Environmental Change"
716:
582:
448:
285:
241:
708:
681:
572:
562:
468:
281:
269:
258:
220:
161:
754:
736:
Gobero: The No Return
Frontier. Archaeology and Landscape at the Saharo-Sahelian Borderland
659:
Gobero: The No-Return
Frontier. Archaeology and Landscape at the Saharo-Sahelian Borderland
613:
Gobero: The No-Return
Frontier. Archaeology and Landscape at the Saharo-Sahelian Borderland
254:
216:
157:
447:, flattened sagittal profile, pentagonal posterior outline, broad proportions across the
439:
culture: they were tall (as much as 6-foot 8-inches). According to Sereno (2008), "Their
200:
69:
558:
577:
542:
432:
335:
301:
797:
444:
249:
196:
485:
352:
567:
339:
330:
325:
265:
176:
685:
289:
100:
87:
192:
720:
586:
348:
308:
212:
147:
712:
440:
436:
245:
208:
489:
361:
hostilities between Nigerian government forces and Tuareg tribesmen
204:
73:
26:
297:
236:
370:
293:
435:). The Early Holocene occupation is associated with the
191:, dating to approximately 8000 BCE, is the oldest known
391:
467:
The Middle Holocene occupation is associated with the
443:
were long and low and are characterized by a distinct
637:
The Lithic Assemblages: Production, Use, and Discard
661:. Frankfurt: Africa Magna Verlag. pp. 209–240.
639:. Frankfurt: Africa Magna Verlag. pp. 129–166.
386:
may be too technical for most readers to understand
172:
167:
153:
143:
132:
121:
116:
79:
65:
606:
604:
602:
600:
598:
596:
738:. Frankfurt: Africa Magna Verlag. pp. 44–64.
626:
624:
622:
320:The site was discovered in 2000 by a team led by
652:
650:
648:
646:
541:Dutheil, Didier B.; Stivers, Jeffrey P. (2008).
211:name for the region. It is the type site of the
304:and polished axes and other retouched tools.
8:
19:
488:, and a man buried with the carapace of a
25:
18:
755:"Graves found from Sahara's green period"
701:American Journal of Physical Anthropology
631:Cocca, Enzo; Mutri, Giuseppina. "10". In
576:
566:
535:
533:
531:
529:
527:
525:
414:Learn how and when to remove this message
398:, without removing the technical details.
523:
521:
519:
517:
515:
513:
511:
509:
507:
505:
501:
824:Archaeological sites of Western Africa
753:Wilford, John Noble (14 August 2008).
674:Journal of Anthropological Archaeology
396:make it understandable to non-experts
7:
292:, tenerian disks, bifacial tools,
14:
779:"Lost Tribes of the Green Sahara"
615:. Frankfurt: Africa Magna Verlag.
288:, geometric tools, sidescrapers,
611:Garcea, Elena A.A., ed. (2013).
375:
48:
41:
459:, and zigzag impressed motifs.
49:
1:
819:8th-century BC establishments
804:Archaeological sites in Niger
324:paleontologist and geologist
136:
125:
568:10.1371/journal.pone.0002995
16:Archaeological site in Niger
840:
355:" period (7500–3500 BCE).
57:Gobero Archaeological Site
686:10.1016/j.jaa.2014.04.007
280:, backed tools, notches,
207:, and is named after the
36:
24:
457:dotted wavy-line pottery
789:on September 26, 2008.
322:University of Chicago
31:Aerial view of Gobero
783:National Geographic
559:2008PLoSO...3.2995S
453:interorbital region
189:archaeological site
97: /
21:
809:Prehistoric Africa
713:10.1002/ajpa.21542
633:Garcea, Elena A.A.
814:Prehistoric Niger
773:. 15 August 2008.
424:
423:
416:
182:
181:
831:
790:
785:. Archived from
774:
771:Anthropology.net
762:
740:
739:
731:
725:
724:
696:
690:
689:
669:
663:
662:
654:
641:
640:
628:
617:
616:
608:
591:
590:
580:
570:
537:
463:Tenerian culture
419:
412:
408:
405:
399:
379:
378:
371:
367:Human occupation
359:canceled due to
221:Tenerian culture
138:
127:
112:
111:
109:
108:
107:
102:
101:17.083°N 9.517°E
98:
95:
94:
93:
90:
52:
51:
45:
29:
22:
839:
838:
834:
833:
832:
830:
829:
828:
794:
793:
777:
765:
752:
749:
747:Further reading
744:
743:
733:
732:
728:
698:
697:
693:
671:
670:
666:
656:
655:
644:
630:
629:
620:
610:
609:
594:
539:
538:
503:
498:
477:
465:
429:
427:Kiffian culture
420:
409:
403:
400:
392:help improve it
389:
380:
376:
369:
318:
302:grinding stones
276:, perforators,
229:
217:Kiffian culture
105:
103:
99:
96:
91:
88:
86:
84:
83:
61:
60:
59:
58:
55:
54:
53:
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
837:
835:
827:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
796:
795:
792:
791:
775:
763:
759:New York Times
748:
745:
742:
741:
726:
691:
664:
642:
618:
592:
500:
499:
497:
494:
476:
473:
464:
461:
428:
425:
422:
421:
383:
381:
374:
368:
365:
336:crocodylomorph
317:
314:
228:
225:
180:
179:
174:
173:Archaeologists
170:
169:
165:
164:
155:
151:
150:
145:
141:
140:
134:
130:
129:
123:
119:
118:
114:
113:
81:
77:
76:
67:
63:
62:
56:
47:
46:
40:
39:
38:
37:
34:
33:
30:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
836:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
801:
799:
788:
784:
780:
776:
772:
768:
764:
760:
756:
751:
750:
746:
737:
730:
727:
722:
718:
714:
710:
706:
702:
695:
692:
687:
683:
679:
675:
668:
665:
660:
653:
651:
649:
647:
643:
638:
634:
627:
625:
623:
619:
614:
607:
605:
603:
601:
599:
597:
593:
588:
584:
579:
574:
569:
564:
560:
556:
552:
548:
544:
536:
534:
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
522:
520:
518:
516:
514:
512:
510:
508:
506:
502:
495:
493:
491:
487:
481:
474:
472:
470:
462:
460:
458:
454:
450:
446:
445:occipital bun
442:
438:
434:
426:
418:
415:
407:
397:
393:
387:
384:This section
382:
373:
372:
366:
364:
362:
356:
354:
350:
344:
342:
341:
337:
333:
332:
327:
323:
315:
313:
310:
305:
303:
299:
295:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
262:
260:
256:
251:
250:aridification
247:
243:
238:
235:Site G1 is a
233:
226:
224:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
197:Sahara Desert
194:
190:
187:
178:
175:
171:
166:
163:
159:
156:
152:
149:
146:
142:
135:
131:
124:
120:
115:
110:
106:17.083; 9.517
82:
78:
75:
71:
68:
64:
44:
35:
28:
23:
787:the original
782:
770:
758:
735:
729:
707:(1): 49–61.
704:
700:
694:
677:
673:
667:
658:
636:
612:
553:(8): e2995.
550:
546:
482:
478:
466:
430:
410:
401:
385:
357:
353:Green Sahara
345:
338:
329:
319:
306:
282:denticulates
263:
234:
230:
185:
183:
340:Sarcosuchus
331:Nigersaurus
326:Paul Sereno
316:Excavations
286:truncations
274:endscrapers
177:Paul Sereno
104: /
80:Coordinates
798:Categories
496:References
290:arrowheads
203:desert of
168:Site notes
680:: 79–91.
469:Ténérians
404:June 2024
309:potsherds
259:Tenerians
193:graveyard
133:Abandoned
721:21766285
587:18701936
547:PLOS ONE
349:Holocene
334:and the
255:Kiffians
248:and the
246:monsoons
213:Holocene
162:Tenerian
154:Cultures
148:Holocene
139:3000 BCE
128:8000 BCE
66:Location
635:(ed.).
578:2515196
555:Bibcode
475:Burials
437:Kiffian
390:Please
195:in the
158:Kiffian
144:Periods
122:Founded
117:History
719:
585:
575:
490:turtle
449:zygoma
441:crania
351:, or "
307:4,646
278:burins
270:blanks
242:lithic
209:Tuareg
201:Ténéré
186:Gobero
92:9°31′E
89:17°5′N
70:Ténéré
20:Gobero
486:hippo
298:adzes
266:cores
205:Niger
74:Niger
717:PMID
583:PMID
451:and
347:mid-
296:and
294:axes
237:dune
227:Site
219:and
215:era
184:The
709:doi
705:146
682:doi
573:PMC
563:doi
394:to
800::
781:.
769:.
757:.
715:.
703:.
678:35
676:.
645:^
621:^
595:^
581:.
571:.
561:.
549:.
545:.
504:^
433:BP
343:.
300:,
284:,
272:,
268:,
223:.
160:,
137:c.
126:c.
72:,
761:.
723:.
711::
688:.
684::
589:.
565::
557::
551:3
417:)
411:(
406:)
402:(
388:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
