History of Kenya

Written records and archeological evidence are the two primary sources of historical information about Kenya. The written records focus on the coastal region primarily because of its rich history of trade with the southern Arab nations. The Kenyan interior, however, remained mostly undocumented prior to the 19th century. The arrival of the Europeans brought an end to the mystery of this diverse region of the world.

Archeology reveals the secrets of the development of civilization in the Kenyan heartland. The Rift Valley, which runs through the center of Kenya, has long been regarded as the cradle of civilization. Charles Darwin perpetuated this theory in his work On The Origin of Species. Darwin's theory that humans and the higher apes probably had a common ancestor led to the conclusion that humankind originated where the apes were found: East Africa. Early archeological discoveries at Lake Turkana in Kenya, at the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, and along the Kagera River in Uganda support Darwin's guesswork with hard evidence. Ancient hominoid, or human-like skulls dating back 21/2 million years were discovered at these sites. Although archeologists believe there were originally at least three different species of hominid roaming the plains of Kenya, evidence suggests only one species evolved and developed into Homo sapiens. The Rift Valley region, therefore, earns the distinction in most archeological circles as the area where man first stood upright and began his life-long quest for food and water.

Many facts about the early civilization that evolved in Kenya were established by Mary and Louis Leakey through their extensive excavations beginning in the 1930's. The Leakeys uncovered fossil remains of the "Nutcracker Man" or Zinjanthropus Borsei, an early apeman. In addition, another ground-breaking discovery was the "Handy Man" or Homo habilis, a 10,000 - 12,000 year old ancestor of modern man. Although much remains to be discovered, the pioneering work of the Leakeys established many of the early archeological facts about the origins of man.

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