Ethiopia

Melka Kunture and Balchit

WHS Score 1.47
rate
Votes 10 Average 1.75
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Votes for Melka Kunture and Balchit

1.0

  • Jean Lecaillon
  • Wojciech Fedoruk

1.5

  • Solivagant
  • Szucs Tamas

2.0

  • Mihai Dascalu
  • Randi Thomsen
  • Stanislaw Warwas
  • Svein Elias
  • Thomas van der Walt

2.5

  • Piotr Wasil
Melka Kunture - Gombore site
Melka Kunture - Gombore site 5

Melka Kunture and Balchit: Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in the Highland Area of Ethiopia represents an ancient volcanic landscape in the Awash Valley used by humans since prehistory.

Tens of thousands of lithic tools, faunal and some human fossilized remains have been discovered. The tools were mainly made of obsidian, of which the primary source is at Balchit.

Community Perspective: Daytrips from Addis to the WHS of Tiya also often include Melka Kunture, as it is on the way. Boj recommends the on-site museum.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Melka Kunture and Balchit: Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in the Highland Area of Ethiopia (ID: 13)
Country
Ethiopia
Status
Inscribed 2024 Site history
History of Melka Kunture and Balchit
2024: Name change
Upon inscription on the request of ICOMOS from "Melka Kunture and Balchit Archeological and Paleontological Site" to "Melka Kunture and Balchit: Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in the Highland Area of Ethiopia"
2024: Inscribed
Inscribed
2022: Incomplete - not examined
incomplete dossier (for 2022)
2020: Revision
Renomination of Melka Kunture and Balchit Archaeological Site (2012)
2012: Revision
Bachilt Archaeological Site added to the nomination
1981: Deferred
At Bureau - Need Tentative List
1980: Deferred
1979: Deferred
Bureau meeting - info requested in 78 still not in place
1978: Deferred
Bureau meeting - info requested
Type
Cultural
Criteria
  • iii
  • iv
  • v
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
Official
  • melkakunture.it — Website of the Italian-Spanish Archaeological Mission
All Links
UNESCO.org
Official Website

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Archaeological site: Prehistoric
Travel Information
No travel information
Recent Connections
View all (12) .
Connections of Melka Kunture and Balchit
History
  • Early Hominid Remains
    "yielded remains of Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis and archaic Homo sapiens" (AB ev)
  • Palaeolithic and Mesolithic
    "The Melka Kunture cluster of Palaeolithic archaeological and palaeontological sites testifies to hominin occupation of the area from around two million years ago (...)." (AB Ev)
Ecology
  • Obsidian
    'Heaps of by-products of obsidian knapping activities alternate with natural exposures, and with glittering stretches of land. This is an impressive sight over thousands of square meters, where randomly abandoned volcanic-glass implements reflect the light of the sun. The relationship between modern human groups and obsidian sources is in full sight. - UNESCO Description
  • Fossils
    Crit iii: "Hominin fossils of Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis and archaic Homo sapiens discovered"
World Heritage Process
Human Activity
  • Ongoing Archaeological digs
    "Melka Kunture was discovered in 1963. (...) Since 1999 excavations have been ongoing until present." (AB Ev)
Timeline
  • Early Pleistocene
    "The Melka Kunture and Balchit Archeological and Paleontological Site preserves evidence of hominin occupation of high altitudes from around two million years ago (...)." (AB Ev)
Science and Technology
  • Archaeozoology

    Hippo Butchery

    The site provides evidence that, 850,000 ybp Homo Erectus was systematically processing large megaherbivores. This discovery shifted the narrative of early humans from opportunistic scavengers to coordinated hunters capable of exploiting challenging environments. "The Gombore II-2 site, also known as the “Butchery site” is later in age and lies higher up in Gombore gully profile. It is also located 30m south of Gombore II Open Air Museum. The Gombore II-2 “butchery site’’ was first tested in 1974, and later excavated in 1993 and 1995. The site was interpreted as a hippopotamus butchering site" (Nomination file)

WHS Names
  • Name changes
    Upon inscription on the request of ICOMOS from "Melka Kunture and Balchit Archeological and Paleontological Site" to "Melka Kunture and Balchit: Archaeological and Palaeontological Sites in the Highland Area of Ethiopia"
News

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Community Reviews