From the 2nd to the 10th of November 2024 a geology-focused field season occured in Gorongosa National Park. Led by a diverse team including Melissa Boyd, Leu Balate, João d’Oliveira Coelho, Sidónia Tagir and Clara Mendes, marked another milestone in the Paleo-Primate Project Gorongosa’s exploration of Mozambique’s rich geological, paleontological, and archaeological heritage. This short field season would not be possible without the support of rangers Francisco Muanze and Jeremias João, as well as the Mussopo outpost guard Mr. Taona Pita.
Key Highlights
1. Nepheline Intrusions
Fieldwork began with detailed investigations and sampling of two major nepheline-bearing intrusions:
➝ Phiri Nyagutua: A large northern intrusion (multiple events?) revealing complex igneous processes.
➝ Phiri Nyamagaia: A much smaller and isolated southern intrusion. Likely to be more recent.
This work will allow us to obtain a minimum age for the lower Mazamba Formation.
2. Muaredzi Gorge
This gorge provided a rare glimpse into the interplay of geological formations and paleontological deposits, particularly of the Lutetian-Bartonian Cheringoma Fm, rich in foraminiferans and echinoids. The team uncovered critical insights into the stratigraphy and fossil record of this key area.
Panorama of the western entrance to the Archway gorge in the Muaredzi river.
Close-up of a nummulitic limestone on the base of the Cheringoma Formation, with a large fossil of Nummulites sp. in the center
3. Phiri Chitundo cha Magare
Magare Hill proved to be a multidisciplinary focus with its:
- Geological complexity: Trenches exposed significant siliceous deposits, as well as sandstone and limestone units.
- Archaeological significance: Surface stone tools (Oldowan, Acheulense, and ceramics) shed light on ancient human activities from distinct periods.
- Fossil-rich localities: Several new GPL sites (13, 14, 15) rich in fossil wood were surveyed and sampled for further analysis.
We were also able to figure out the real name of the hill via interviews with chiSena-speaking leaders in the Muaredzi community and chiNdau people with the popular Magare surname. While the first 3/4 of the mount name are chiSena, these interviews revealed that: “Mangare,” “Mhengere,” and “Menguere” are misrenderings of the chiNdau word Magare, meaning “those who stayed behind.”
- Phiri = hill/mount
- Chitundo = traditional woven basket
- cha = of
- Magare = those who stayed behind
The name translates roughly to “Basket Hill of the Ancestors”, or simply Magare Hill.
4. Khódzwè
Efforts here focused on locating red clayey sands in the Khódzwè river. We found the new GPL-16 site complex offering intriguing marine invertebrate shell beds and large vertical outcrop exposures, including a unique contact between the Cheringoma and Mazamba formations.
The November 2024 field season successfully expanded our understanding of Gorongosa’s geology and its connections to the intriguing local paleontology and archaeology. The findings from sites like Khódzwè’s GPL-16 and Magare Hill are poised to contribute significantly to ongoing research efforts.
Stay tuned as detailed analyses of these discoveries unfold in upcoming reports and publications.