Some members of the scientific community have expressed concern that a potential volcano eruption in Tanzania could damage or destroy important archaeological sites containing ancient hominin footprints.

Some members of the scientific community have expressed concern that a potential volcano eruption in Tanzania could damage or destroy important archaeological sites containing ancient hominin footprints, reports New Scientist.
The 7,650-feet-high peak called Ol Doinyo Lengai, or “Mountain of God,” is located in east Africa. 
Suspicions about its impending eruption are based on data produced by real-time sensors placed around the peak; as one of the researchers, Virginia Tech’s D. Sarah Stamps, has said to National Geographic, “There are increased ash emissions, earthquakes, uplift at small volcanic cones, and an ever widening crack at the top of the volcano on the west side. These are all signs of volcanic deformation that will likely lead to an eruption sooner rather than later.” 
However, she also clarified, “Imminent in our case means in one second, in a few weeks, a couple of months, or a year or more.” 
An eruption would mean that volcanic debris could flow into a nearby area which is known to contain 400 hominin footprints estimated to be around 19,000-years old.
In fact, a Washington Post report from last year says that a study found one of the sites, in the village of Engare Sero, to be “the largest assemblage of ancient human footprints in Africa and one of the biggest on the planet.” 
As such, some scientists are worried that a volcanic eruption could threaten the well-preserved prints which are just about nine miles away, with one pointing out that they are “not like fossilised bones that we can dig up and walk away with.” 
However, others studying the area suggest that an eruption by itself would likely not pose a threat to that and other nearby ancient sites, though if the activity coincided with a heavy rain, it could.