The early Acheulean site of Gombore I level B (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia): Archaeological assemblage integrity and spatial distribution patterns

Research at Gombore I, Level B (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia) reveals that the Early Acheulean site preserves a palimpsest of hominin activity alongside natural processes. Analysis of stone tools and bones shows anisotropic distributions indicative of fluvial reorganisation, yet spatial arrangements suggest partial retention of original relationships. While tools are primarily anthropogenic, bone accumulations appear mixed in origin, complicating interpretations of site function. The study underscores the need for multidisciplinary methods to reconstruct behavioural and taphonomic dynamics at open-air Early Stone Age sites in East Africa.

Méndez-Quintas, E., Melis, R. T., & Alonso, P. B. (2025). The early Acheulean site of Gombore I level B (Melka Kunture, Ethiopia): Archaeological assemblage integrity and spatial distribution patterns. Quaternary International, 723, 109709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109709