The Comprehensive Olduvai Database Initiative, or CODI, is a free online inventory
of all paleontological specimens collected from Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. This database
provides a research tool for scientists interested in studying this assemblage as well as a
curatorial aid for the Tanzanian government.
Search the Database
There are two different ways to access this database. You can either perform a traditional search based on taxonomy, stratigraphy, archaeological locality, repository, etc., or you can browse specimens using the key terms provided. This database was not developed to serve as an analytical tool for first or last appearance dates of various taxa, only for use as an aid to accessing the collection for further research. Using this database for large-scale studies of evolutionary pattern and process is inappropriate unless the user has meticulously checked every entry for accuracy.
Explore the Database
Click on the photos below to go directly to the entry for that specimen and learn more about the history of paleontological research at Olduvai Gorge, one specimen at a time.
Right Photo: Two of the 2013 field assistants preparing to photograph fossils from the Leakey Lab as part of the inventory process for OVPP-L specimens. This project was generously supported in part by The Leakey Foundation in addition to the National Science Foundation.Browse Specimens