Abstract The upper Awash runs across a volcano-sedimentary succession dated from the Early to Middle Pleistocene and located on the western margin of the northern portion of the Main Ethiopian Rift. The succession lies above Late Miocene to Pliocene lava flows, domes and large volume ignimbrites. The succession formed within a fluvial system that developed within transversal rift faults. The stratigraphy consists of primary volcanic deposits interbedded with reworked sediments emplaced in a low-energy floodplain developed in a subsiding area. The lower part of the volcaniclastic sequence is dominated by a 1.2 Ma old, low aspect ratio, pyroclastic density current deposit (Kella ignimbrite). This eruption was followed by an eruptive stasis and reorganization of the drainage system. Tephra deposition in the floodplain climaxed again between 0.9 and 0.7 Ma and was associated with extensive tephra reworking. Sedimentation rates significantly decreased after 0.6 myr ago, probably owing to declining volcanic activity. Dynamic interaction between tectonics and volcanic activity created a complex sedimentary environment preserving numerous artefacts (lithic tools), animal and hominin remains. Stratigraphic correlation is based on the interpretation of the basin evolution and has relevance for the reconstruction of the palaeoenvironment and the interpretation of the palaeontological and archaeological data.

Mapping and description of the Hadar and Busidima Formations in the northern Awash valley, Ethiopia, have been greatly aided by the use of tephrostratigraphy and tephra correlation in the Dikika, Gona, Hadar, and Ledi-Geraru paleoanthropological project areas. The Hadar Formation contains at least nine dated tuffs, many of which have been correlated across the northern Awash project areas, and all of which are easily distinguished from each other on the basis of major-element chemistry. The overlying Busidima Formation contains at least 35 distinct tuffs, many of which are firmly or approximately dated. Because of their discontinuous and compositionally similar nature, many of the Busidima Formation tuffs are not correlated across the northern Awash project areas. Trace-element compositional data or detailed stratigraphic information may be necessary for correlation or relative placement of many of the Busidima Formation tuffs. Differences in the frequency, chemistry, and extent of Hadar and Busidima Formation tuffs preserved in the northern Awash valley may ultimately be related to the tectonic evolution of the region throughout the Pliocene-Pleistocene, as well as to basin-scale geological processes. Despite a number of known issues in tephra correlation, the composite tephrostratigraphy assembled for the northern Awash valley demonstrates the effectiveness of this technique, which has played a key role in ongoing efforts to document the geological history of this unique and important region.