Human Evolution

Approximately 30 MYA, during the Oligocene Epoch, tectonic plates began lifting and splitting an area of East Africa, forming a rift that extends north to south from Ethiopia to Mozambique. From 5.5 to 3.7 MYA, during the late Miocene and early Pliocene Epochs, these internal forces transformed what was once a relatively flat region into jagged mountains with deep valleys and plateaus. As the topography changed, so did the flora. Plant life ranged from that of a cloud forest, to a savannah and a desert. This region became East Africa’s Great Rift Valley.