Covering an area of 300 square meters, Engare Sero is Tanzania’s largest human fossil footprints site to have ever been discovered within the African Continent’s boundaries. The site was discovered in 2006 through a research project which led to the greatest discovery of over 400 hominid and animal footprints, including zebra and bovid. Tracks from this site represent one of the country's best-preserved records of anatomically modern Homo sapiens.

The footprints are a byproduct of an ancient volcanic mudflow from the nearby Oldoinyo Lengai which is still active. The volcanic mudflow was hardened when the wet ash dried almost like concrete. The footprints have so far been created between 6,000 and 19,000 years ago and represent the distinct paths of at least 20 different individuals. 

Since 2009, the Engare Sero research project team has been excavating and analyzing the Engare Sero footprints, led by Appalachian State University professor Cynthia Liutkus - Pierce and including Human Origins Program research scientist Briana Pobiner. According to their findings, the footprints were left by a group of mostly adult females traveling together.

What to See: Footprints of early humans