Exam review, Fossil Preservation Flashcards
1
Q
what is special about East African Rift System
A
facilitated the fossilization of a number of known hominin specimens
2
Q
where is the East African Rift System
A
The rift runs from the Afar Depression in NE Ethiopia, south to Malawi
3
Q
what is the East African Rift System typified by
A
rift valleys and both active and inactive volcanoes
4
Q
what is a rift valley
A
created by magma forcing tectonic plates apart, creating a collapsed area between the flanks of the plates.
Over time, the walls of the rift valley continue to erode, encouraging fossilization through periodic inundation and collapse
