Maurice Taieb
Encyclopedia
Maurice Taieb, is a French
geologist
and paleoanthropologist who discovered the Hadar
formation, recognised its potential importance to paleoanthropology
and founded the International Afar Research Expedition (IARE). This enabled co-director Donald Johanson
to discover the 3.2 million year old Australopithecine
fossil Lucy
fossil in the Awash Valley
of Ethiopia
's Afar Depression
.
Taieb is currently Director of Research for the National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) (CNRS), at the European Centre of Research and Teaching of Geosciences of the Environment (Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement de Géosciences de l'Environnement) (CEREGE), in Aix-en-Provence
.
from the University of Paris VI in 1974, with a thesis on the geology of the Awash River basin.
Taieb started his geological exploration of the Afar region of Ethiopia in 1966 by Landrover and donkey, discovered the Hadar fossil fields in 1968, founded the IARE in 1972, and was present when Donald Johanson discovered fossil fragments of Lucy
in 1974.
Taieb, along with co-directors of IARE Donald Johanson
and Yves Coppens
played a key role in identifying the geology and history of the Afar region, which has yielded hominid specimens back to 6 million years old. His investigations of the Afar region were challenged by the extreme harshness of the desert environment, famine, conflicts with local tribesmen, such as the Issa
, the prolonged political strife including the closure by the Derg
government during the 1980s in the fallout from a ‘grave robbing’ incident between them and Don Johanson, plus ongoing hostilities between militias.
Demographics of France
This article is about the demographic features of the population of France, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects....
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and paleoanthropologist who discovered the Hadar
Hadar
Hadar may refer to:* Beta Centauri, a star* Hadar, Ethiopia* Hadar, Haifa, a quarter of Haifa, Israel* Hadar, Nebraska* Hadar, a village in the Syrian Golan.People:* Hadad , several biblical characters, also known as Hadar...
formation, recognised its potential importance to paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology, which combines the disciplines of paleontology and physical anthropology, is the study of ancient humans as found in fossil hominid evidence such as petrifacted bones and footprints.-19th century:...
and founded the International Afar Research Expedition (IARE). This enabled co-director Donald Johanson
Donald Johanson
Donald Carl Johanson is an American paleoanthropologist. Along with Maurice Taieb, and Yves Coppens he is known for the discovery of the skeleton of the female hominid australopithecine known as "Lucy", in the Afar Triangle region of Hadar, Ethiopia.-Early years:Johanson was born in Chicago,...
to discover the 3.2 million year old Australopithecine
Australopithecine
The term australopithecine refers generally to any species in the related genera Australopithecus or Paranthropus. These species occurred in the Plio-Pleistocene era, and were bipedal and dentally similar to humans, but with a brain size not much larger than modern apes, lacking the...
fossil Lucy
Lucy (Australopithecus)
Lucy is the common name of AL 288-1, several hundred pieces of bone representing about 40% of the skeleton of an individual Australopithecus afarensis. The specimen was discovered in 1974 at Hadar in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar Depression. Lucy is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years...
fossil in the Awash Valley
Awash River
The Awash is a major river of Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and empties into a chain of interconnected lakes that begin with Lake Gargori and end with Lake Abbe on the border with Djibouti, some 100 kilometers from the head of the Gulf of Tadjoura...
of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
's Afar Depression
Afar Depression
The Afar Triangle is a geological depression that is caused by the Afar Triple Junction which is part of the Great Rift Valley. It overlaps Eritrea, Djibouti and the entire Afar Region of Ethiopia. The Afar Triangle includes the Danakil Depression and the lowest point in Africa, Lake Asal...
.
Taieb is currently Director of Research for the National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) (CNRS), at the European Centre of Research and Teaching of Geosciences of the Environment (Centre Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement de Géosciences de l'Environnement) (CEREGE), in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
.
Early life
Taieb was born in Tunisia in 1935 to a Tunisian father and a French mother. He travelled though the African outback with his uncle, a merchant who traded with the Bedouin on the outskirts of Tunis. He received his doctorateDoctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from the University of Paris VI in 1974, with a thesis on the geology of the Awash River basin.
Taieb started his geological exploration of the Afar region of Ethiopia in 1966 by Landrover and donkey, discovered the Hadar fossil fields in 1968, founded the IARE in 1972, and was present when Donald Johanson discovered fossil fragments of Lucy
Lucy (Australopithecus)
Lucy is the common name of AL 288-1, several hundred pieces of bone representing about 40% of the skeleton of an individual Australopithecus afarensis. The specimen was discovered in 1974 at Hadar in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia's Afar Depression. Lucy is estimated to have lived 3.2 million years...
in 1974.
Taieb, along with co-directors of IARE Donald Johanson
Donald Johanson
Donald Carl Johanson is an American paleoanthropologist. Along with Maurice Taieb, and Yves Coppens he is known for the discovery of the skeleton of the female hominid australopithecine known as "Lucy", in the Afar Triangle region of Hadar, Ethiopia.-Early years:Johanson was born in Chicago,...
and Yves Coppens
Yves Coppens
Yves Coppens is a French anthropologist. He graduated from the University of Rennes. He has studied ancient hominids and has had multiple published works on this topic, and has also produced a film....
played a key role in identifying the geology and history of the Afar region, which has yielded hominid specimens back to 6 million years old. His investigations of the Afar region were challenged by the extreme harshness of the desert environment, famine, conflicts with local tribesmen, such as the Issa
Issa
Issa or ISSA may refer to:Issa*Abdisalam Issa-Salwe, Somali scholar*Darrell Issa, a Californian Representative*List of The Belgariad and The Malloreon characters#Issa, a divine character in David Eddings's fantasy series The Belgariad and The Malloreon*Issa or Isa, the Arabic name for Jesus in...
, the prolonged political strife including the closure by the Derg
Derg
The Derg or Dergue was a Communist military junta that came to power in Ethiopia following the ousting of Haile Selassie I. Derg, which means "committee" or "council" in Ge'ez, is the short name of the Coordinating Committee of the Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army, a committee of...
government during the 1980s in the fallout from a ‘grave robbing’ incident between them and Don Johanson, plus ongoing hostilities between militias.